William DuBay
Encyclopedia
William DuBay was a U.S.
Catholic
priest and social activist whose reform activities and suspension from the priesthood created controversy in the mid-1960s.
In February 1966, DuBay was suspended from the priesthood by Cardinal James Francis McIntyre, archbishop of Los Angeles
, for criticizing the Catholic Church and for writing The Human Church, a book that was highly critical of the Church hierarchy. In 1964, DuBay had publicly requested that Pope Paul VI
remove McIntyre from office for his failure to support civil rights
for Black people
, a demand that garnered national headlines, saying,
DuBay also proposed creating a trade union
for Catholic priests. Under DuBay's Federation of Priests, arbitrary transfers would be ended, a tenure policy would give priests the right to a hearing before they could be suspended, and priests would be paid a professional salary in lieu of Mass
and baptism offerings.
The Human Church called for bishops to be elected for limited terms. It also called for abandoning the parochial school
system in favor of programs that teach Catholics the principles of Christian action. The book argued that the Catholic Church should abandon its tax exemption
s and let individual congregations create their own liturgies
and creeds. Citing DuBay's "public expressions of insubordination" and a lack of the bishop's imprimatur
, the Vatican
ordered DuBay to cease selling and distributing his book. DuBay protested that "prior censorship is a ghost that has been hovering around the Catholic Church since the Spanish Inquisition
" and refused to stop distributing The Human Church.
DuBay was a chaplain
at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica
and later a parish priest in that city. In 1968, after his suspension from the priesthood, he married Mary Ellen Wall in Idyllwild, California
. They had a child, Zubi. From 1975 to 1987, DuBay lived in Alaska
, where he edited The Arctic Policy Review, a monthly magazine that covered economic and political developments in the Arctic
. In 1988, he returned to southern California and became a technical writer
and writing teacher.
DuBay is the author of "Roots of the Holocaust", a book that attempts to understand the youth of Adolf Hitler in Vienna. The work examines the city and experiences that formed Hitler as a man.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
priest and social activist whose reform activities and suspension from the priesthood created controversy in the mid-1960s.
In February 1966, DuBay was suspended from the priesthood by Cardinal James Francis McIntyre, archbishop of Los Angeles
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles is an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the U.S. state of California. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the archdiocese comprises the California counties of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura. The diocesan cathedral is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the...
, for criticizing the Catholic Church and for writing The Human Church, a book that was highly critical of the Church hierarchy. In 1964, DuBay had publicly requested that Pope Paul VI
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
remove McIntyre from office for his failure to support civil rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
for Black people
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
, a demand that garnered national headlines, saying,
- His Eminence has condemned direct action demonstrations on the grounds that they incite violence. But as a matter of fact he has contributed to the possibility of serious racial violence by depriving civil rights groups of responsible Catholic and clerical leadership necessary to encourage Christian forms of nonviolent protest. His inaction has promoted the prolongation of Negro grievances by failing to mobilize the Catholic population against the social evils of segregationRacial segregationRacial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
.
DuBay also proposed creating a trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
for Catholic priests. Under DuBay's Federation of Priests, arbitrary transfers would be ended, a tenure policy would give priests the right to a hearing before they could be suspended, and priests would be paid a professional salary in lieu of Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
and baptism offerings.
The Human Church called for bishops to be elected for limited terms. It also called for abandoning the parochial school
Parochial school
A parochial school is a school that provides religious education in addition to conventional education. In a narrower sense, a parochial school is a Christian grammar school or high school which is part of, and run by, a parish.-United Kingdom:...
system in favor of programs that teach Catholics the principles of Christian action. The book argued that the Catholic Church should abandon its tax exemption
Tax exemption
Various tax systems grant a tax exemption to certain organizations, persons, income, property or other items taxable under the system. Tax exemption may also refer to a personal allowance or specific monetary exemption which may be claimed by an individual to reduce taxable income under some...
s and let individual congregations create their own liturgies
Liturgy
Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...
and creeds. Citing DuBay's "public expressions of insubordination" and a lack of the bishop's imprimatur
Imprimatur
An imprimatur is, in the proper sense, a declaration authorizing publication of a book. The term is also applied loosely to any mark of approval or endorsement.-Catholic Church:...
, the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
ordered DuBay to cease selling and distributing his book. DuBay protested that "prior censorship is a ghost that has been hovering around the Catholic Church since the Spanish Inquisition
Spanish Inquisition
The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition , commonly known as the Spanish Inquisition , was a tribunal established in 1480 by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. It was intended to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in their kingdoms, and to replace the Medieval...
" and refused to stop distributing The Human Church.
DuBay was a chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
and later a parish priest in that city. In 1968, after his suspension from the priesthood, he married Mary Ellen Wall in Idyllwild, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. They had a child, Zubi. From 1975 to 1987, DuBay lived in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, where he edited The Arctic Policy Review, a monthly magazine that covered economic and political developments in the Arctic
Arctic
The Arctic is a region located at the northern-most part of the Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, Greenland, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Arctic region consists of a vast, ice-covered ocean, surrounded by treeless permafrost...
. In 1988, he returned to southern California and became a technical writer
Technical writer
A technical writer is a professional writer who designs, creates, and maintains technical documentation...
and writing teacher.
DuBay is the author of "Roots of the Holocaust", a book that attempts to understand the youth of Adolf Hitler in Vienna. The work examines the city and experiences that formed Hitler as a man.