Here's One Thing That Puzzles Me

I started to become Catholic via RCIA at Easter 2013. I'm still at a very low end of the learning curve on becoming Catholic. The last thing I would do is presume to tell the Church what it's doing wrong. Yet an impression I've gained of Our Lady of the Atonement is that it's been set up, at least in the sense of an official mission for a Pastoral Provision (and now OCSP) parish, to minister to new Catholics, indeed former Anglicans like me. But a major subtext of the OLA story is that they're conducting a "better" liturgy than the rest of their former archdiocese.

As a new Catholic, I've come to recognize that there is a traditionalist movement that in its more extreme form led to the SSPX, but in general looks back to pre-Conciliar times. Again, I'm too new to pass judgment on this, but I've got to say that at least in theory, it should apply mostly to cradle Catholics -- as a converso, I've got plenty on my plate just to study the catechism and scripture, the huge volume of other philosophical material, and to keep up with the prayers and sacraments. I'll never have enough time to become more Catholic than anyone else, much less the pope.

I can see, though, how bishops might see the traditionalist movement as a source of trouble, in particular an influence that encourages people to substitute private judgment. Why should I examine my conscience when I can go looking for liturgical abuse across town? At a distance, I've got to wonder if people with this mindset have created this sort of atmosphere at OLA. Certainly this is the impression I've received from what seems to be a clear-headed minority there. Former Anglicans, which the parish maintains make up a majority, really ought to be concerned with more basic problems. Nobody, including Fr Phillips, does them a favor by telling them they're somehow better than other Catholics.

A visitor raised a similar issue, bringing up

Reform of the Reform, conservative Orthodox type movement leaders that helped the parish in their relative success. I'm not sure you've been Catholic long enough to recognize many of the names, but among the most prominent were:

Fr. John Corapi, Fr. Frank Pavone, Fr. Thomas Euteneuer, Fr. Thomas Williams, Fr. Peter Stravinskas, Msgr. Eugene Clark, Fr. Michael Manning, Fr. Kenneth Roberts, Fr. Francis Mary Stone, Fr. John Bertolucci and Fr. Alberto Cutie. These were all at one time featured on EWTN, and yet were all removed due to various indiscretions that required them to live some type of double life. I might throw in Legionnaires of Christ founder Fr. Marciel Maciel as well.

Looking orthodox to the followers isn't necessarily a sign that the priest is acting like a saint.

Well, at least I recognize Corapi and Cutie. Doesn't sound like a good group if these are representative. Corapi in particular seems to have had a Phillips-like claque.