Rev. Glenn M. Davidowich

Summary of Case: A priest of the Eparchy of Passaic, Davidowich was accused in 2009 of having sexually abused a 15-17 year old boy in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The boy was an altar server at Davidowich's parish and a high school wrestler. In 1999 Davidowich established an organization called the Junior Professional Wrestling Association. Its website featured young men and boys as young as 16 years-old in swimming briefs, some wearing dog collars and chains. Some of its videos were shot in a parish rectory. Parishioners complained about the sexually suggestive website, leading the bishop to confront Davidowich, who then stepped down from the wrestling organization. Davidowich was placed on leave by the Eparchy in 2009, after the accusation of abuse surfaced. He is last known to be living in Wisonsin.

Incardinated: Byzantine Eparchy of Passaic (PSC)

Ordained: 1989

   

Start Stop Parish/Assignment Town/Accusations State Position Notes

1989

Byzantine Eparchy of Passaic bishop was Michael Joseph Dudick (1968-1995)

1991 St. Mary of the Assumption

Trenton

• In June 2011 the Eparchy of Passaic settled with a man who accused Davidowich of having sexually abusing him in the late 1980s and early 1990s, beginning when the man was a 15 year-old St. Mary's parishioner. The boy was an altar server and high school wrestler.

NJ 2/2 St. Mary's had a school with 140-150 students.
1989 1991 St. Mary's Chapel

Hamilton Township

 

 NJ   This was a chapel of St. Mary of the Assumption in Trenton.
1991 1992 St. Nicholas Roebling NJ 1/1  
1991 1992 St. Jude Southampton Township NJ   This was a mission of St. Nicholas in Roebling.
1992 1995 Ascension of Our Lord Williamsburg VA 1/1  
1992 1995 Our Lady of Perpetual Help Virginia Beach VA   This was a mission of Ascension of Our Lord in Williamsburg.

1995

Dudick was succeeded by Andrew Pataki (1995-2007)

1996 Holy Spirit Mahwah NJ 2/2 In residence.  
1996 1999 St. John the Baptist Trumbull CT 1/1  
1999 2004 St. Michael's

Mont Clare

 

 PA 1/1 Davidowich founded the Junior Professional Wrestling Association in 1999. Its website featured photos of scantily clad males, as young as 16 years-old, some in dog collars and chains. The Association also sold videos, some of which were shot in the church rectory. Davidowich's parishioners are said to have complained that the site was sexually suggestive. Davidowich claimed the organization was established as a way to raise money for a former high school wrestler in California who had been paralyzed. The boy's mother said in 2002 that she'd never heard of the organization and that they had not received money from any organization in years. Davidowich resigned from the wrestling organization in Feb. 2001 after Bishop Pitaki confronted him with parishioners concerns about the website.
2004 2006 Leave of Absence        
2006 2007 Special or Other Diocese Assignment        

2007

Patiki was replaced by William Charles Skurla (2007-2012)

2009 St. Mary's Kingston PA 1/1, 1/2  
2009 2010        

Davidowich is not indexed in the 2010 Directory, nor is he listed in the diocesan pages as at his previous assignment.

Davidowich was placed on leave when a man reported having been sexually abused by him as a 15-17 year old in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

2010 2011 Leave of Absence

Manitowoc WI   Davidowich was known in October 2011 to be living in Manitowoc, WI with the man who had been the director of the Junior Pro Wrestling Association.

 

Sources: Official Catholic Directory (New York: P.J. Kenedy and Sons, 1990-2011)

• Suggestive Photographs Sold on Priest's Web Site; By David O'Reilly, Philadelphia Inquirer, May 25, 2002
• Byzantine Catholic Priest Is Linked to Sexual Web Site, By Christine Schiavo, Morning Call, May 31, 2002
• Priest's Wrestling Web Site Shut, By William Lobdell, Los Angeles Times, May 31, 2002
• Priest's Web Site Role Scrutinized // Internet : a Catholic Order Is Investigating Involvement in Wrestling Sites, Donations., By Barbara Kingsley, Orange County Register, June 1, 2002
• Web Site Founded by Priest Featured Pictures of Young Wrestlers, By Michael Rubinkam, Associated Press State & Local Wire, June 3, 2002
• Web Site Run by Priest Shuts down, By David O'Reilly, Philadelphia Inquirer, June 6, 2002
• N.J. Cleric Sold Videos Showing Young Men in Suggestive Poses; Case Similar to Another Priest's Wrestling Scandal, By Mark Mueller, The Star-Ledger, October 16, 2011
• Priest from New Jersey " on Leave" Due to Report of Sexually Assaulting a Minor Now Residing in Manitowoc Wiscosnin, SNAP, Wisconsin, October 16, 2011
• Clergy Sex-Abuse Allegations Aired by Victim Advocates, By Hannan Adely, The Record, October 17, 2011
• Church Pays $200k to Settle Molest Claim against Priest Who Produced, Sold Videos of Speedo-clad Young Wrestlers, Smoking Gun
October 25, 2011



Priests in a Parish: We use the following convention to show a priest's place among the clergy of a parish: 1/2 means that he is the first priest listed in the Official Catholic Directory (usually the pastor) and that there is a total of two priests at the parish. The shorthand 3/4 means that the priest is listed third on a four-priest roster. See our sample page from the Directory.

Note: The Official Catholic Directory aims to report the whereabouts of Catholic priests in the United States on January 1 of the Directory's publication year. Our working assumption is that a priest listed in the Directory for a given year was at the same assignment for part of the previous year as well. However, Kenedy and Sons will sometimes accept updates well into the year of publication. Diocesan clergy records are rarely available to correct this information. The Directory is also sometimes misleading or wrong. We have tried to create an accurate assignment record, given the source materials and their limitations. Assignment records are a work in progress and we are always improving the records that we post. Please email us with new information and corrections.

This assignment record collates Davidowich's career history as it is represented in the Official Catholic Directory with allegations as reported in the media. We make no representation regarding the truth of the allegation we report, and we remind our readers that the U.S. legal system presumes that a person accused of or charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty. Similarly, individuals who may be defendants in civil actions are presumed not to be liable for such claims unless a plaintiff proves otherwise. Admissions of guilt or liability are not typically a part of civil or private settlements. For more information, see our posting policy.

This assignment record was last updated on March 2, 2012