Whitey Bulger Funeral Held At South Boston Church
SOUTH BOSTON (CBS) – A funeral was held for notorious Boston mob boss Whitey Bulger in South Boston Thursday morning, according to the Archdiocese of Boston.
The service was at St. Monica - St. Augstine Church on Old Colony Avenue. According to the Boston Globe, Bulger's brother William, the former state Senate president, attended and the burial was private.
The pastor, Father James Flavin, sent this statement to WBZ-TV after saying the Mass.
"At the request of and out of pastoral care for the Bulger family, the pastor offered a Mass today at St. Monica Church in Boston for James Bulger. Out of respect for the family and those who were hurt, it was a private service just for the immediate family. The Church is a spiritual home for any person or family seeking God's Wisdom and peace in a time of crisis and grief.
The Church is certainly aware of the deep pain that innocent victims of crime and violence live with every day. Whenever we celebrate Mass we remember in prayer all victims of violence. In my homily, I said, "from the beginning of creation it was God who brought order and peace in the midst of chaos. When our parents failed in the Garden of Eden God sent His only Son Jesus to once again bring order and peace to a chaotic world through His death on the cross. I am certain that God is present to everyone suffering chaos and pain. We pray that everyone is able to feel the peaceful presence of God and His son Jesus in the midst of chaos and pain."
As Catholic priests we are called to bury the dead and pray for God's justice and mercy. We entrust our final judgement to God."
Bulger was murdered in a prison in West Virginia October 30. He was 89 years old.
Bulger was serving a life sentence after being convicted in 2013 of several crimes, including participating in 11 murders.