President Joe Biden presented with book on St Patrick

One of the gifts that Taoiseach Leo Varadkar presented to US President Joe Biden in Washington on St Patrick’s Day was a new book on the spiritual legacy of St Patrick published by Messenger Publications.

Columban Missionary Aidan J. Larkin SSC passed away shortly after completing The Spiritual Journey of St Patrick. The book takes a fresh look at the writings of our patron saint and affords insights into Patrick’s values, inspirations, and spiritual journey and provides a compelling argument for a reevaluation and recognition of Patrick’s profound spiritual legacy.

The book will be added to the collection in the President’s guest house, Blair House, where it will be available to view by visiting heads of state, their families, and diplomatic attachés.

Fr. Aidan Larkin who died 31 March 2019, aged 73, led a remarkably varied and fulfilled life. A classics scholar he played a leading role in the development of the SDLP and represented Mid Ulster in Stormont during the Sunningdale period. A barrister, he went on to act as a legal adviser to the Council of Ministers in Brussels. Aged 35 he was ordained for the Dublin diocese and was chaplain in Trinity College. He later joined the Columban Fathers and committed to missionary work in a shanty town in Chile.

The Spiritual Journey of St Patrick by Aidan J. Larkin SSC by Aidan J. Larkin SSC and with a foreword by Archbishop Eamon Martin is published in Ireland and the UK by Messenger Publications. It is priced at €14.95/£12.95