Former Priest Convicted Of Abusing Boy At Catonsville Catholic School

CATONSVILLE, MD — A former Catholic priest who advocated for abuse victims was found guilty Thursday of sexually abusing a boy while stationed at St. Agnes Catholic School in Catonsville.

The four-day trial of William Mannion Jr., who left the priesthood and later married, ended with him being found guilty on one count of child abuse and four counts of second-degree sex offense involving an underage individual.

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Court records show Mannion was facing a total of 15 felony charges. The remaining 10 counts were dropped in favor of the conviction.

The case dates back to the 1990s, when Mannion was assigned to the Catonsville parish as a priest. He was in his early 30s and the boy involved in the case was about 10 years old.

The Banner reported that the now 42-year-old former Catholic school student accused Mannion of abusing him during the school day, and that the abuse continued until the student moved away from the region.

"The first time, he told me God had come to him in a dream," the man said during the trial. "And if I didn't do what he told me, my brother would burn in hell."

A portion of the trial focused on timeline discrepancies after the former student said the abuse took place between first and third grades before testifying that it was between the second and fourth grades.

Prosecutors argued Mannion and the student's time at the parish overlapped for six months, according to the Baltimore Sun. "The opportunity was there for this abuse to happen," Assistant State's Attorney Stacy Amparo said during closing arguments.

Also referenced during the proceedings was a letter Mannion wrote when he sought to be removed from the Catholic Church, explaining that he had been struggling with his vows of celibacy.

The Sun reported that Mannion, at the same time that the abuse was said to have occurred, reported a convicted child rapist to the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

Mannion, who has maintained his innocence, will be sentenced on Dec. 14 in the case.