Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017:
Larkin, John

Teacher, bursar; born Queenscliff, Victoria, 28 November 1915; died Melbourne, 9 May 1981, aged 65.

John Larkin's father was the marine surveyor, and he and his family were so well known and respected in Queenscliff that a street has been named Larkin Parade. He spent 1932 and 1933 as a boarder at Xavier College, Kew, and entered the Society, 10 March 1934.

Larkin was a man of great hospitality. Whenever he had the opportunity to play host he was a warm, generous and happy person. When the opportunity was not provided, he tried to supply the deficiency in his own shrewd ways. There are many who can recall 'Larkin's Cafe' in the basement room of Canisius College, where Larkin would happily and ingeniously supply afternoon teas and suppers for any who came seeking.

The basement room marked another characteristic of Larkin. When rooms were selected in order of seniority, he was never one to choose ostentatiously a room too near the seat of government. On the contrary, he chose one in some remote spot where his happy life style would not cause any embarrassing situations. His room was always a home. He always sought to establish elegance and comfort with whatever poor materials were at hand. Of course, there would always be flowers.

He loved flowers, knew them and grew them. He was always one of the most willing gardeners in whatever house he was in. And with his characteristic love of giving he was always willing to supply the needs of others, whether it was from his garden or his basement cafe.

In his formation years he not infrequently found himself in 'hot water'; perhaps not always as an aggrieved innocent. He was gentle and yielding by nature and not rarely used by others more forceful than him. The scrapes he landed into, with the consequent admonitions and at times misunderstandings, never dulled his good humour. A smile was never far from his face; nor did his graciousness of manner ever desert him.

When he himself came to ministerial offices he was always genial and kind, generous almost to a fault. He was minister at St Aloysius' College the year after completion of his tertianship and remained there and at Xavier College until his final illness. Hospitality was perhaps his most distinguishing mark. He was a wonderfully good minister and a meticulous bursar. He never sought to be noticed but worked tirelessly in the background. At Xavier College, he contributed to the building programme and to the grounds and gardens. His enthusiasm, excellent organisational skills and gentle conviviality were present for over twenty years in the management of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas. He and Elizabeth Callander would frequent Latouf and Calill's for materials for costumes, and, of course, he was in charge of the money. No amount of work was ever too much trouble, and time never mattered.

Larkin was a respected teacher of geography in both schools. He loved his subject and was very knowledgeable. He had many stories about the geography of Australia, most the result of first hand experience of the area, as he was a great traveller around the country during the school holidays.

No boy was known to dislike him. He was a reassuring figure and gave confidence to others. He took very little care of his personal attire and was usually clothed in well-worn garments. He was most generous with money and made people very happy. This generosity was given full reign on villa, when he turned his geographical passion to the good of the community by organising trips on the bay in the Harbour Trust launch and arranging other expeditions into the countryside. He was in his element on the Kostka camps at Harrietville, climbing Mt Feathertop with the boys, mixing with them and enjoying the beauties of nature, which made a great appeal to him.

For the last seven years of his life, Larkin suffered from a severe stroke, and had very little movement, being virtually confined to a wheelchair. This was a great cross, and affected him greatly. His brother Mac and old friend Daniel McLoghlin were a great source of comfort and goodness towards him.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)