He left the priesthood in 1948 in order to remain superintendent of St Monica's (later Phoenix Memorial) Hospital and wrote a number of books, including his autobiography People's Padre.
He founded St Monica's Catholic Church for African-American and Hispanic residents in the neighborhood, and became known for his activism via the attached community center and medical clinic.
[4] McLoughlin's Franciscan superiors charged him with neglect of his priestly duties and ordered him to resign as superintendent of the hospital.
McLoughlin criticized the Church for requiring young men to take such a vow, often without having experience of life outside school and seminary.
He noted in his 1954 book People's Padre that he did not lose faith in God after leaving the priesthood, but found he read more of the Bible and religious periodicals.
The city of Phoenix named the Emmett McLoughlin Community Training & Education Center in his honor.