Born on Dec. 30, 1949, Father Francis E. Sullivan was one of the children of the late Bernard and Esther (Connor) Sullivan. His early years were spent in Maryland, where he attended Parklawn Elementary School in Hyattsville. He is an alumnus of St. John Preparatory School, Danvers, and St. Anselm College, Manchester, N.H.

His siblings include a brother, Robert, and sisters Maryalice Gagnon and Maureen Williams. He is also the nephew of a deceased Boston priest, Father Robert M. Connor.

He completed his theological studies prior to ordination at Pope St John XXIII National Seminary in Weston. Bernard Cardinal Law ordained him to the priesthood on June 25, 1988.

His assignments since ordination have all been at archdiocesan parishes beginning with being appointed parochial vicar at St. Mary of the Annunciation, Melrose, (1988-1993). He moved south for his second assignment, also as a parochial vicar now at St. Bonaventure, Plymouth.

In 1996, he returned to familiar territory, this time to Malden as parochial vicar of Sacred Hearts Parish, there, serving until 2002.

In July 2002, he was named administrator of St. Mary Parish, Billerica, and on Aug. 1, 2004, Archbishop O'Malley named him pastor of the parish, where he served until 2013.

In 2013, he was named a parochial vicar at four parishes in Salem: St. Anne (French) until 2014; and Immaculate Conception, St. James, and St. John the Baptist (Polish) parishes, all until 2017. The city of Salem was undergoing a restructuring of the parishes in the city, and he served in the several parishes while that process was underway.

In January 2017, he was named parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception Parish, Malden, another return to a familiar area, if to a different parish.

During his retirement, Father Sullivan will be residing as senior priest in residence at Immaculate Conception, Malden.