Born Edward Gilleran on July 5, 1899 in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, he was the son of James Gilleran and Joanna Feeley. The family moved to Natick, Massachusetts when he was a young boy and he went to the public schools in that town and later attended Boston College High School where he was a fine athlete. In 1918 he went to the Passionist Preparatory College, Baltimore, Maryland. He proceeded on to the novitiate in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and professed his vows on September 20, 1921. His religious name was Bernard. He was ordained on June 2, 1928 at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Newark, New Jersey by Bishop Thomas J. Walsh of Newark. His first assignment was director of students for one year. He then was a preacher of parish vision until 1953 when he had a heart attack. He preached throughout the United States and Canada. He was assigned to Jamaica, New York; West Springfield, Massachusetts; Dunkirk, New York; and Union City, New Jersey. It was in this last monastery that he spent the last nine years of his life. He was visiting his sister in Winthrop, Massachusetts when he took a turn for the worse and was hospitalized at St. Elizabeth’s, Brighton, Massachusetts where he died.
Birth Date:
July 5, 1899
Profession Date:
September 20, 1921
Ordination Date:
June 2, 1928
Death Date:
August 21, 1959
Religious Name:
Bernard of the Queen of Martyrs Gilleran