Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley, OFM Cap. was the principal celebrant of the funeral Mass for Father Myron F. Bullock at St. Ann Church of Holy Family Parish in Gloucester on April 21. Father Bullock died following lingering illness on his 79th, April 17, 2007.

Myron F. Bullock was born in Boston and raised in Newton, one of the two sons of Myron and Mary (Winn) Bullock. A son of Sacred Heart Parish, Newton he attended local schools and after completion of his seminary studies, Archbishop Richard Cushing ordained him to the priesthood at Holy Cross Cathedral on Sept. 29, 1953.

For more than 20 years following ordination Father Bullock was assigned as an assistant and/or associate at three of the largest and busiest parishes of the archdiocese: Immaculate Conception, Everett (1953-1956), St. Agnes, Arlington (1960-1973) and St. Mary, Dedham (1973-1975). During the years 1957-1960 he was pursuing graduate studies in theology at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC and was assigned as a “technical assistant in residence” during his summer months first at St. Mark, Dorchester and then at St. Agnes, Arlington.

When he was assigned as pastor of Gloucester’s Sacred Heart Parish in 1975, friends among the priests and laity were amazed that he would be going to such a “small parish.” He seemed to thrive at the large parishes where had been assigned for most of his priestly life to that point, and folks were sure, “he’ll be in a bigger place before long.”

Almost 30 years passed until his retirement in August 2004 and he never went to a “bigger place.” What happened was that he made Sacred Heart a “bigger place” by his quiet and enthusiastic presence. As someone said, he was literally the “mayor of Gloucester and Cape Ann.”

Joining Cardinal O’Malley as concelebrants were other Cape Ann priests: Father Timothy Harrison and Father Ronald Gariboldi, both of Holy Family Parish, and Father Eugene Alves of Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish. Father Gariboldi served as the homilist for the Mass. Many other priests friends and classmates were also concelebrants joining a large number of people not only from the Cape Ann area but also from other assignments of Father Bullock.

Father Bullock was buried in Holyhood Cemetery, Brookline. His only sibling, Father Robert Bullock, late pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows in Sharon died on June 19, 2004. Among his survivors is his cousin, Mary Ellen O’Hara of Osterville.