Scope and Content DuBay first stepped into the public eye in 1964 after he publicly denounced his superior, Cardinal James Francis McIntyre, and asked that Pope Paul VI strip McIntyre of his title. The issue at hand was civil rights: according to DuBay, McIntyre was unfit to preside over the racially diverse Los Angeles Archdiocese because of his indifferent attitude toward racial injustice and his refusal to oppose California Proposition 14, a ballot initiative that aimed to repeal fair housing legislation...

Scope and Content

DuBay's criticism of Cardinal McIntyre in 1964 drew praise from parishioners and human relations advocates, who believed that the Roman Catholic church's silence on issues pertaining to race relations contradicted the church's core values. Included in the files are several typed and handwritten letters addressed to DuBay that commend the priest for his actions against the church establishment and thank him for his commitment to racial equality.

Scope and Content DuBay's public denouncement of Cardinal McIntyre was also criticized by Roman Catholics around the nation, many of whom believed that the church should play no role in matters pertaining to race relations and civil rights. Included in the files are letters and postcards addressed to DuBay that criticize the priest for opposing his superior; several items are accompanied by article clippings that discuss racial tension in general and DuBay's actions specifically. Items in the folder assume a...

Scope and Content

After he publicly denounced Cardinal McIntyre, DuBay received an onslaught of letters and postcards from Roman Catholic parishioners, many of whom criticized the priest for failing to respect the church hierarchy. The files include these letters and postcards, as well as several article clippings that discuss the DuBay/McIntyre conflict.

Scope and Content DuBay did not stand alone in the struggle to engage the Catholic church in the civil rights movement; two organizations, the Catholic Human Relations Council (CHRC) and Catholics United for Racial Equality (CURC), also called upon the Los Angeles Archdiocese to take a more proactive stand in racial matters. Like DuBay, the organizations often clashed with Cardinal McIntyre, who believed that their messages were too controversial and refused to grant them the official blessing of the church....

Scope and Content In 1964, DuBay struck up a friendship with George J. Gessner, a United States soldier who was incarcerated at Leavenworth, Kansas after being accused of disclosing nuclear weapons secrets to Soviet officials. Gessner, who had taken an interest in DuBay's progressive outlook and struggle with the Catholic establishment, exchanged letters with the priest between 1964 and 1966 about the Bible and race, church reform, philosophy, literature, and current events. The file includes letters that...

Scope and Content DuBay, upset that he was denied an ecclesiastical trial by the Roman Catholic church after his suspension, explored the possibility of filing a complaint against Cardinal McIntyre in civil court for denying him due process of the law. The files contain letters exchanged between DuBay, clergymen Richard Hill and William Richardson, and attorney David Greene Lilly about the ramifications of pursuing civil action. Also included are letters addressed to DuBay that offer legal advice, as well as...

Scope and Content On February 25, 1966, DuBay was suspended from the priesthood by Cardinal McIntyre after he published a highly controversial book, The Human Church, which criticized the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic church and called upon priests to unionize. Upset that he was tried in absentia by a panel of anonymous judges, DuBay wrote to the Vatican and requested an ecclesiastical trial - a request that was ultimately denied. The file...

Scope and Content After his suspension from the Los Angeles Archdiocese, DuBay wrote an article entitled We Must Reform the Church, which sharply criticized the conservative tilt of Roman Catholicism and stressed the need for the church to modernize its message and its practices. The article appeared in the June 4, 1966 edition of the Saturday Evening Post and elicited numerous responses from readers. Included in the files are letters and cards addressed...

Scope and Content

Following his suspension from the priesthood in 1966, DuBay went public with his case and delivered lectures and speeches, spoke on several radio programs, and contributed to newspapers and periodicals around the nation, all of which sparked the ire of church officials. Included in the file are letters and postcards addressed to DuBay in response to his public appearances, all of which are commendatory.