Reverend Walter A. Norris, Pastor

Father Walter Norris was born on March 20, 1946 in Baltimore, MD. Upon completion of high school at Mt. St. Joseph, he entered the Pallottine Fathers and Brothers and the seminary on July 6, 1964. In 1972, as a transitional deacon, he went to Tanzania, East Africa for 6 months and worked with the Irish Pallottines as a teacher.

Fr. Walter was ordained by Lawrence Cardinal Sheehan on June 9, 1973 at the Basilica of the Assumption in Baltimore. His first ministry was as a hospital chaplain at the University of Maryland Hospital. He was also assigned as vocation director for the Pallottines from 1973 to 1980. During those years, he lived at the Pallottine Provincial house in Baltimore; Our Lady of Grace in Fairview, NJ; and Bishop Eustace Prep in Pennsauken, NJ.
With the exception of a 9-month assignment from 1983-1984 at St. Joseph’s Parish in Clarksville, TX, he spent the next 12 years working in several parishes in the Diocese of Trenton, which included Our Lady Queen of Peace in Hainesport and Holy Eucharist in Tabernacle.

In 1987, Fr. Walter enrolled in law school at Widener University School of Law in Wilmington, DE. Upon graduation in 1990, he spent the next 17 years working for South Jersey Legal Services serving the legal needs of the poor in civil matters. In 2001, he was presented with the Ronald B. Atlas outstanding attorney award for his legal service to low-income people.
In 2003, Fr. Walter joined the Diocese of Camden. His first assignment was St. Matthew’s parish as a part-time vicar while continuing his legal work. In 2007, he resigned South Jersey Legal Services to become full-time administrator at the parish. On February 22, 2010, Bishop Joseph Galante assigned him as pastor of St. Vincent Pallotti Parish in Haddon Township and as convener in the merger of two parishes: St. Aloysius in Oaklyn and St. Vincent Pallotti in Haddon Township.

Deacon Emil Ralbusky
E-Mail: ralbusky@svpchurch.org