Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Walter E. MacPherson

This page outlines the assignments, credible allegations of child sexual abuse, and institutional actions involving Fr. Walter E. MacPherson, as part of the Injury Lawyer Team’s legal representation of survivors in Illinois clergy abuse cases.

• Primary Entity Name: Walter E. MacPherson
• Common Variations / Aliases: Father Walter MacPherson, Fr. Walter MacPherson, Walter MacPherson
• Role/Title at Time of Incident: Parish Priest
• Current Status: Deceased

Public Identification and Clergy Status

Fr. Walter E. MacPherson was publicly identified as a credibly accused Catholic priest by Church authorities and government investigators. He was named in official disclosures after allegations of sexual abuse of minors were reported and substantiated through diocesan review processes and state investigation findings by:

• Diocese of Belleville
• Illinois Attorney General’s Office

MacPherson served as a priest in the Diocese of Belleville, Illinois, where he held multiple parish assignments during the 1950s through the 1970s. Allegations against him involved the sexual abuse of minors during his time in parish ministry. He was ultimately removed from active ministry and remained out of ministry until his death.

Entity that Listed Him: Diocese of Belleville, Illinois Attorney General’s Office

Reason for Listing: Multiple credible allegations of child sexual abuse; removal from ministry due to substantiated abuse reports

Key Status Facts

Ordination Year: 1955

Years in Active Ministry: 1955–1994

Primary Diocese: Diocese of Belleville, Illinois

Locations Where He Served: Southern Illinois, including St. Clair County

Restrictions: Permanently removed from ministry

Criminal Convictions: None publicly recorded

Public Disclosure: Named in diocesan disclosures and the Illinois Attorney General’s clergy abuse investigation

Died: 2011

Assignment History

Primary Diocese: Diocese of Belleville

Parish Assignments (as documented in public reports):

• St. Martin of Tours, Washington Park, Illinois (dates unknown)
• St. Joseph, Prairie du Rocher, Illinois (dates unknown)
• St. Michael Parish, Paderborn, Illinois (dates unknown)

Non-Parish Assignments: Chaplaincy and ministry work associated with Catholic institutions and schools within the Diocese of Belleville, including service connected to the Academy of Notre Dame in Belleville.

Known Allegations

Fr. Walter E. MacPherson was the subject of multiple allegations of sexual abuse involving minors, reported by at least four survivors. The abuse reportedly occurred over an extended period during the 1960s and early 1970s, while he was serving in parish roles within St. Clair County and nearby communities.

Survivor accounts describe abuse occurring in parish-related settings where MacPherson had routine access to children through his clerical authority. The allegations were reported years later, consistent with patterns seen in many clergy abuse cases where victims delayed disclosure due to fear, shame, or lack of institutional support.

No criminal prosecution occurred before his death; however, the allegations were deemed credible by Church authorities and later confirmed through an independent review reflected in state investigative findings.

Summary: Fr. Walter E. MacPherson was credibly accused of sexually abusing minors while serving as a priest in the Diocese of Belleville; multiple allegations led to his removal from ministry, and he was later publicly identified in official Church and state disclosures.

Overseeing Authorities During Key Periods:

• Bishops of the Diocese of Belleville serving during the 1950s–1970s

Institutional Actions and Review

After receiving reports of sexual abuse, the Diocese of Belleville removed MacPherson from active ministry in the early 1990s. He was not returned to ministerial duties and remained restricted for the remainder of his life. He was also included on the list of accused clergy in Illinois.

Years later, his name was included in diocesan disclosures and in the Illinois Attorney General’s statewide investigation into Catholic clergy sexual abuse, which documented systemic failures in reporting and accountability across multiple dioceses.

The public identification of MacPherson represents a posthumous acknowledgment of harm after decades during which survivors lacked transparency and recourse.

Timeline

1955 — Ordained as a priest in the Diocese of Belleville

1950s–1970s — Served in multiple parish assignments in southern Illinois

1960s–early 1970s — Period during which reported abuse occurred

Early 1990s — Allegations reported to the Diocese of Belleville

1994 — Removed from active ministry

2011 — Died while permanently removed from ministry

2023 — Named in the Illinois Attorney General’s clergy abuse investigation

Speak With an Attorney

If you or someone you love was sexually abused by Fr. Walter E. MacPherson or another Catholic clergy member in Illinois, you may still have legal options.

The Injury Lawyer Team represents survivors of clergy abuse statewide and offers confidential consultations to help survivors understand their rights and pursue accountability. Contact us to schedule an appointment with an Illinois clergy abuse lawyer. 

Sources

This page is based on public records, official Church disclosures, and government investigative findings, including:

• Illinois Attorney General’s 2023 Report on Catholic Clergy Sexual Abuse
• Diocese of Belleville public disclosures of clergy with credible allegations
• BishopAccountability.org profile and assignment records for Walter E. MacPherson

No criminal conviction is implied unless explicitly stated in public court records or official Church reports.

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.