Aaaaah, the 'small groups'. Sounds like a good idea. But way, waaaay off the deep end, at least at my parish and parishes near me. Anything and everything goes. Everything, that is, except 'old-fashioned' (read: traditional) Catholicism, because they even explain that away as a person in a psychological state not yet ready to accept change. Never mind that change is throwing out the baby and keeping the bathwater.
Ah, the small groups. Poisoning Catholics everywhere and readily accepted by many because of it's 'easiness' and 'inclusiveness' despite it paganness. Gag. (I understand a few parishes actually practice the small group the way the Pope intended. A group in Maryland comes to mind.)
This disgrace has been foisted off on untold unfortunate parishes by the religious education directors (including nuns and priests).
Foisted and forced, by the priests and nuns. In my diocese, the new slackers are the traditionalists or anyone who even questions the practices (I'm sure to be outed as one eventually). I'm active in a couple of ministries, and can say first hand this has created dissension and confusion and many have left altogether. And those who stay? Catholicism in my diocese is radically different than what it was even just 10 years ago.
Defenders of the NO keep telling us it is getting better, and that the "abuses" are now under control. But that's not my observation, either. What has happened is that we have simply come to accept the abuses and people no longer recognize them as such.