Posted February 9, 2021

Father John M. Harkins, 81, a retired priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and a resident at Villa St. Joseph, Darby, died Jan. 30.

Born in Philadelphia, the son of the late John Joseph Harkins and Golda Burt, he attended St. Edward Parochial School in Philadelphia and St. Joseph’s Preparatory High School in Philadelphia before entering St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.

Father Harkins was ordained on May 22, 1965, at the Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul, Philadelphia by Archbishop John J. Krol.

He served as parochial vicar at St. Stanislaus Parish, Lansdale; St. Joseph, Ambler; St. John the Evangelist, Philadelphia and St. Ambrose, Philadelphia.

In 1985 he was appointed pastor of St. Michael Parish, Philadelphia, where he served until June 2000.

He also served on the faculty at Bishop McDevitt High School. Father Harkins retired in 2014.

The funeral Mass was celebrated Feb. 5 at St. Ambrose Church, Philadelphia. Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez was the main celebrant and concelebrants included Msgr. Thomas A. Murray, Father G. Dennis Gill, Father Charles J. Ravert and Msgr. Thomas M. Mullin, who was the homilist.

Father Harkins is survived by nephews and nieces.

Interment was at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Cheltenham.