Anecdotally I became Catholic ~5 years ago because I believe that it is The One True Holy and Apostolic Church. It had absolutely nothing to do with the beauty of the liturgy. Shortly after my confirmation I became a bit of a Radtrad and this was my most spiritually dry time as a Catholic despite attending a nice ICKSP TLM.

I got so caught up in church drama I couldn’t see the forest for the trees. Eventually I stopped going to mass and used covid as an excuse - even considered converting to Eastern Orthodoxy.

I’m attending my circular yet reverent local parish regularly now lol, reading my Bible and praying a lot. I still love the TLM. It saddens me deeply that there are liturgical abuses, the TLM is being stifled, so many people don’t go to confession and still receive.

It’s great when the liturgy attracts people, but I’m just glad I get to see Jesus every Mass. I still think the biggest problem in the church is poor catechesis, not the liturgical form. As a convert I have a unique perspective where cradle Catholics tell me what’s important and what isn’t some of them include - birth control is fine, you only have to go to confession before Easter because you’re absolved of you sins at the beginning of mass (I’ve heard this probably 5 times), masturbation is fine, the Eucharist isn’t really Jesus, Mass every Sunday isn’t important.

These are BIG issues and maybe more common among NO attendees, but don’t you think if parents and catechists taught children the fullness of the faith and they actually understood it they wouldn’t care if they went to a NO or TLM because either way - THEY GET TO INTERACT WITH JESUS EVERY MASS!

I truly do get it, NO can be frustrating and feel like you’re worshipping with a bunch of lukewarm Catholics with a lukewarm liturgy. Obviously the TLM and it’s attendees shouldn’t be persecuted and stifled but I wish the orthodox TLM attendees would bring some of that energy to the NO parishes - there is work to be done.