Adoremus Society opposed to "reform of the reform"?

Some of you may remember the letter to the editor of Adoremus Bulletin (July-August, 2005), which I published online in an uncut version under the heading of "Three Liturgical Movements?" (July 21, 2005). Some of you may also remember a book by the Rev. Thomas M. Kocik, entitled Reform of the Reform? A Liturgical Debate: Reform or Return (San Diego: Ignatius Press, 2003), which I suggested for further reading at the end of my "Three Liturgical Movements?" article and have recommended from time to time (e.g., "Ratzinger on Liturgy," Nov. 22, 2004; and "I, Liturgist," March 1, 2005).

Well -- Lo, and behold! -- in yesterday's mail I received a letter (dated August 5, 2005) from the Rev. Thomas M. Kocik himself, responding to my letter in the Adoremus Bulletin. He writes:

I read your letter in the July-August isue of Adoremus Bulletin, in which you state that the Adoremus Society (or at least the AB staff) seems more interested in correcting abuses to the so-called Novus Ordo than in what Pope Benedict calls a "reform of the reform" (movement #2, in your letter).

Rev. Kocik then goes on to observe that the Editor's reply to my letter, which insisted that the two agendas are not mutually opposed," seemed to avoid engaging the point I was raising in my letter. Kocik continues:

Allow me to share something that seems to corroborate your suspicion. In 2003, Ignatius Press published my book, Reform of the Reform? A Liturgical Debate: Reform or Return. Much of the book takes the form of a debate between two imaginary traditionally minded Catholics: the one advocates a wholesale return to the "Tridentine" rite; the other argues for reforming the reform in keeping with what Vatican II actually mandated (and no more). Soon after the book was published, I wrote to [the Editor of the Adoremus Bulletin] to ask her if there were plans to publicize the book in AB (by way of an ad or an article). To my disappointment, she did not reply. Later, I submitted an article concerning the reform of the reform to AB, which she turned down because she deemed it "unsuitable" to the needs of Adoremus. How very curious, given that one of the founders of the Adoremus Society, Father Fessio, heads Ignatius Press and is a prominent proponent of reforming the reform. And how ironic that The Latin Mass magazine would feature [a] favorable review of my book, but not the allegedly "reformist" AB!

Methinks you're on to something, Professor.

Fr. Thomas M. Kocik is a hospital chaplain in Falls River, Massachusetts, and an assistant pastor at St. Thomas More Parish in Sommerset, Massachusetts.