Father Donald MacPherson was born in Glasgow (Boisdale Parish), Cape Breton and served as parish priest in Port Hood, NS from 1919 until 1957. Fr. MacPherson was the first priest of the Diocese of Antigonish in the Canadian Chaplain Service. He went overseas in May 1915. He had the rank of major.

MacPherson went overseas with the 25th Nova Scotia Infantry Battalion in May 1915. In England he was stationed at East Sandling as chaplain to the 2nd Canadian Division. On the eve of departing for France with the 25th Battalion, he was ordered to the Eastern battlefront. On the Isle of Lemnos, he was chaplain to No. 1 Canadian Stationary Hospital, as well as to several Australian and Imperial units. Among those who received his priestly ministrations were the casualties of the (Gallipoli) Dardanelles campaign. On the evacuation of the Peninsula, MacPherson was sent to Salonika with No. 1 Hospital, where he remained for eight months.

He then returned to England, where he laboured for some months in various Canadian training camps, including Bramshott Camp, where the St. Francis Xavier Hospital unit was stationed.

Falling ill, MacPherson was recommended for light duty on the Mediterranean. During Easter week in 1917, he joined a hospital ship working on a submarine-infested route.

Early in 1918, he returned to England, and his long desire of going to the Western battlefront was gratified. He was assigned as chaplain to the 5th Canadian Divisional Artillery, with which he remained until the boys sailed for home. During his stay in France, MacPherson had the honour of conducting to the Grotto of Lourdes the only pilgrimage made there by Canadian soldiers.

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