In 1964 Father Bullen's family migrated to Australia and he finished the last year and half of his schooling at Saint Aloysius' College, Milsons Point. After a far from illustrious year studying Law at Sydney University, Father Bullen joined the Society of Jesus in 1967. While undertaking the usual course of ecclesiastical training, he finished a degree in Arts at Monash University, Melbourne and then undertook an MA that focused on religious poetry in Australia. During this period he also began teaching both English and Religious Education, spending two years at Xavier College in Melbourne, where to his amazement he was also appointed master in charge of swimming.

After his ordination in 1979 Father Bullen did four years teaching and chaplaincy at Xavier before coming to Riverview for the first time in 1986. For the next six years, as a consequence of being appointed superior of the Jesuit Community, he was Rector at Riverview. He again taught English and Religious Education, and was the Housemaster of More House. In 1992 Father Bullen returned to Melbourne, after two years as secretary to the Provincial he was made Rector of Jesuit Theological College. For the nine and a half years before returning to Riverview he was responsible for the training of new Jesuits. During this time he was also editor of Madonna, a magazine for prayer and spirituality.

In addition to his interest in literature and his occasional writing, Father Bullen has a long time interest in the visual arts. He has an abiding interest in attending to what is happening in our culture and considering its significance for presenting the gospel today. Over recent years he has developed various ways of using art to engage people with the gospel and Ignatian spirituality