He entered the U.S. Marine Corps in Dec. 1969 and served four years on Active Duty and was Honorably Discharged in Dec. 1973 as a Sergeant. While on Active Duty, he was a Field Radio Operator by M.O.S and served a 12 month Western Pacific tour with 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division. With that Unit, he went to Okinawa, Philippines, Hong Kong. Japan and Vietnam, earning the Vietnam Service Medal in 1970.

In 1990, he joined the Marine Corps Reserve as a Sergeant serving at the Philadelphia Naval Base with MWSS 474, which was re-designated MWSS 472 and relocated to Naval Air Station Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. He is one of only a few Vietnam veterans still serving in the Marine Corps today.

MSgt. Morrell is a Life Member of the VFW, Life Member of Vietnam Veterans Of America, Member of Marine Corps League, Marine Corps Association, and Oaklyn American Legion.

Employed as a Letter Carrier with the U.S. Postal Service, Camden, N.J. from April 1979 to August 2007, he is now retired.

MSgt. Morrell is married and has 2 sons, 1 daughter, 1 step-son and 8 grandchildren.

MSgt. Morrell resides in Gloucester City.

There will be a Welcome Home on Saturday, Feb. 27th at 3 PM, at the Gloucester City VFW

As you are aware, the Bishop of Camden has already modified his dispositions regarding your parish Church, deciding that at the time of the future merger, the Church of St. Vincent Pallotti would remain open for Sunday worship.

With regard to the possible merger of St. Vincent Pallotti with St. Aloysius Parish, your recent letter appears to indicate that you are not contrary to the possibility of a merger, but would prefer that the merged parish be located at St. Vincent Pallotti, with your current pastor assigned as pastor to the merged parish.

Since your original letters to this Dicastery of 27 April, 2008 and 20 September, 2008, sought to take recourse against closure and merger, it would seem that the object of your recourse has been fulfilled. Decisions as to the location of the offices of the merged parish, and the appointment of the pastor for that parish, fall within the direct competence only of the local bishop, and therefore outside of the scope of a canonical recourse.

Hence, without prejudice to any future canonical action, the Congregation for the Clergy must notify you that no recourse is considered operative at this time. For any canonical explanations or advice the Dicastery would counsel the services of a canonist.

Mauro Piacenza, Titular Archbishop of Vittoriana, Secretary

We can do all of this because of the men and women who have bravely served this country. They have signed up to defend our way of life. Our troops and veterans have put their lives on the line so we can breathe that freedom. Knowing that the sacrifices of being in the military can be great they still volunteered. While we are living our day to day life; hustling to get to work or school, running around taking the kids from here to there, standing in lines at stores, complaining about all of the snow that fell on us recently, enjoying the Olympics on television each night and lets not forget American Idol, and all of the other things we do every day, we have men and women deployed to places that do not have any of this. No flushing toilets, no warm baths, no grocery stores, no time clock to punch at the end of a long day, and most of all…no one to kiss goodnight. They do not ask for our sympathy, they do not even ask for our thanks, but we feel that \”Thanks\” is the least we can do. After all, we are breathing that air called \”freedom\” because of them.

The Yellow Ribbon Club is asking for items to put in care packages for the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are shipping weekly and up until now, have been very busy. Since January 1, 2010 we have shipped 74 large boxes to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. This puts our total count in four and a half years just over 3500 boxes. We shipped the last of our supplies out today.

Please visit our website for a list of what we have been shipping. While visiting our website click on \”thanks from the troops,\” and you will see for yourself how much one package does for a Soldier, Airman, Marine or Sailor. You can also see our drop off locations on the site, which includes directions to each site. Thank you for your assistance.

For The Troops,

In other business, some residents may have noticed that the trees outside of Kershaw Middle School were removed.

While PSE&G was installing new telephone poles along the Black Horse Pike, they offered to remove the trees which were rotting on the inside at no cost to the school district.

They will be replaced with five dogwood trees by PSE&G, and positioned in prime spots in relation to the school and the highway.

Superintendent Joseph Rafferty lauded Maintenance Supervisor Chalie Blaylock and his crew for the exemplary job they did cleaning up after the snow storm, and said their diligence and hard work ensured the school grounds remained clean and safe.

BOE members said the law has recently changed regarding the two fire drills per month requirement; the law now requires one fire drill and one emergency planning drill, such as a lockdown or shelter drill.

It was donated by the family of Bell Oaks Custodian Ken Davidson, a Vietnam veteran himself.

He said the family heirloom had originally flown over the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Mrs. Houghton, the very proud military mom, said the flag was signed by the Bellmawr school community, and was hung at the Command Post at the Joint Security Station, in Baghdad, Iraq, by 1^st Sergeant Richard Moore, to remind the Infantry soldiers of Charlie Company that they support them all.

Her son, PFC Josh Levine, is currently assigned to the 10^th Mountain Division, out of Ft. Drum, NY, and attached to Charlie Company of the 2^nd Battalion 14^th Infantry. He transported the flag back from his Iraqi duty station during his recent leave.

A saw gunner by assignment, Levine, of Egg Harbor Township, has been on active duty for the last two years, and was scheduled to re-deploy to Iraq on Saturday, February 13.

Assisting PFC Levine in the flag-raising were Bellmawr custodians Glenn Cook and Mr. Davidson.

Several officials were pre-sent, including Mike Hackett and John \”Jack\” Newcomb of VFW Post 7410, Bell Oaks Principal Anthony Farinelli, and Bellmawr Schools Superintendent Annette Castiglione.

Mrs. Houghton is spearheading Operation Momma Bear Treats for Troops, and is collecting various candies, treats and toiletries.

Following the event, everyone there applauded PFC Levine, thanking him for his continued service to this great nation.

I also would like to thank the Mount Ephraim Police and Fire departments for all their help and efforts as well. Mt. Ephraim is an outstanding community that is always willing to help and serve others.

Joseph G. Rafferty, Sr.,

Chief School Administrator, Mount Ephraim

source Gloucester City News