Father William McSherry Stock
Ordained: 1969
Abandoned: 1985
Assignment History:
- 1969 - 1973: St. Jane Frances de Chantal (Bethesda, MD)
- 1973 - 1974: Mt. Calvary (Forestville, MD)
- 1974 - 1983: St. Peter's (Olney, MD)
- 1984: Our Lady Queen of Peace (Middle River, MD)
- 1984 to 1985: St. Paul's (Damascus, MD)
Summary of Abuse Allegations Against Father William McSherry Stock:
Father William McSherry Stock was a Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Washington, DC, and Baltimore. In 2018, Father Stock's name appeared publicly on the Archdiocese of Washington's list of clergy credibly accused of sexual abuse of minors.
According to media reports, in 2006, a man reported having been sexually abused by Fr. Stock in 1980, when the victim was 17. Fr. Stock was an associate pastor at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Olney, where the victim sought counseling from him. During their counseling sessions, Fr. Stock sexually abused the victim. Fr. Stock was arrested and charged with custodial child abuse. A spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Washington said Father Stock served five area churches before leaving the priesthood in 1985. In the fall of 2003, Father Stock became a substitute teacher for the Montgomery County Public School system.
In September 2006, he was arrested on charges of sexually abusing a boy in 1978. The victim was allegedly abused by Father Stock when he was 14 years old. The victim reported that during a face-to-face confession at St. Peter's Catholic Church, Father Stock touched him inappropriately. According to police reports, approximately two weeks later, Father Stock drove the victim and other altar boys to the movies. During the movie, Father Stock sat next to the victim and touched him inappropriately. After the movie, the other boys were dropped off, and the victim was left alone with Father Stock. The victim was then driven to the church, and Father Stock again inappropriately touched and sexually assaulted the victim in the cloakroom, police said. According to the charging document, after the victim resisted Father Stock in the cloakroom, Father Stock stopped touching him and "told him that this would be their little secret."
In October 2007, Fr. Stock pleaded guilty last to two counts of unnatural and perverted sexual practices. The following month in November, Father Stock was sentenced to 19 months in prison. Stock is believed to be residing in Rockville, Maryland.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests and other clergy in the Archdiocese of Washington, DC. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused by a priest in Washington, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those abused by Catholic clergy in the Archdiocese of Washington now have legal options to recover damages due to a compensation fund created for victims. Call us at 888-283-9922 or send an email to adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com to discuss your options today.