By Michael Motes

(Special to the Georgia Bulletin)

Monsignor W. Thomas Larkin, Administrator of the Diocese of St. Petersburg, is back basking in the Florida sun after a most unusual class reunion.

His host for the gathering of old friends was one of two Polish priests with whom Monsignor Larkin studied more than 30 years ago at the Belgian College (Angelicum University) in Rome. Then he knew is friend as Karol Wojtyla. Today the world knows his former fellow seminarian as His Holiness, Pope John Paul II.

The friendship dates back to 1948, when Monsignor Larkin was among a group of American, Belgian and Polish seminarians studying at the Belgian College. The Americans and Polish were unable at the time to enter their native-speaking schools in the Eternal City because of the great influx of post World-War II seminarians studying in Rome. Three Americans and two Poles thus ended up in the Belgian school with 15 natives of that country and the camaraderie began.

Pope John Paul II sent out invitations to his fellow classmates last January and the reunion was set for March 31. In addition to Monsignor Larkin, the two other Americans who were part of the 1948 group are also Florida priests and attended the reunion. They are Monsignor Robert W. Schiefen of Sarasota and Monsignor Joseph Dawson of St. Augustine.

“The Holy Father was a very gracious host,” says Monsignor Larkin. “Our visit was quite informal and began with Mass, which we had the great pleasure of concelebrating with the Pope. He then gave a brief homily and welcomed us to the Vatican in French.”

Monsignor Larkin commented that Pope John Paul II “seemed very relaxed and stated that he enjoys his job. He appeared genuinely interested in each of us and there was a certain amount of joking among the group as to who had changed the most since our school days together more than 30 years ago.”

John Paul is remembered by his fellow classmates as a “very well-rounded and extremely brilliant student.”

“He was always very interested in the Americans studying in Rome and would spend a great deal of time with us,” Monsignor Larkin recalls. “He was very gifted in language and liked to practice his English with us.”

The pontiff has always enjoyed singing and Monsignor Larkin remembers Karol Wojtyla as one “who always was ready for a songfest.”

The reunion the pope hosted lasted for over five hours and during the course of the evening, Monsignor Larkin was asked by his host whether his diocese of St. Petersburg was on the East or West coast of Florida.

“I replied to the Holy Father, that we were on the BEST coast and that seemed to please him,” Monsignor Larkin said.

During the stay in the Vatican, the former classmates were also entertained by the Belgian Ambassador of the Holy See.

“The entire experience was one never to be forgotten,” says Monsignor Larkin. “When the Holy Father was inaugurated last October, I went to the Vatican, but only had a brief visit with him. This time the atmosphere was casual and relaxed and a memory that I shall always cherish.”

In addition to an opportunity to dine with the Holy Father, the evening Monsignor Larkin spent with John Paul II had another significant meaning for the Florida administrator. It was his birthday and, as he says, “It was the best birthday I ever had!”