The Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau has announced a credible complaint of sexual abuse of a minor involving the late Father Walter G. Craig. Born in 1899, Father Craig was ordained for the Archdiocese of St. Louis in 1923 and served here until the 1950s. In 1956, the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau was established, and he continued to serve there.
The allegation of abuse occurred in the mid-1960s.
Father Craig served at Our Lady of Lourdes in St. Louis (1923), St. Ambrose in Chaffee, Mo. (1936), St. Matthew Parish in St. Louis (1948), Immaculate Conception Parish in New Madrid, Mo. (1954), Immaculate Conception in Jackson, Mo. (1967) and St. Lawrence in New Hamburg, Mo. (1969). He died in 1971.
The Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau has notified civil authorities of the allegation.
The Archdiocese of St. Louis also encourages anyone with reports of sexual abuse of a minor involving a member of the clergy or other church personnel to contact Deacon Phil Hengen, the director of the Office for Child and Youth Protection at (314) 792-7704 or civil authorities.