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The word over on Dom's blog (scroll down) is that the main reason for Fr. Altier's removal is his outspoken opposition to the Virtus and Talking About Touching programs instituted by the bishops in the wake of the clerical abuse scandal.

Fr. Altier apparently riled Flynn last year when he weighed in on the Teresa Kettlekamp controversy in one of his published homilies. Ms. Kettlekamp is the Director of the USCCB's Office of Child and Youth Protection and guess who is the Chairman of the Bishop's ad hoc committee of the same name?? That's right, Archbishop Flynn. Kettlekamp is a former colonel in the Illinois state police, was/is a member of the advisory board of the National Center for Women and Policing, an arm of the pro-abortion Feminist Majority Foundation. It's worth noting that this wonderful committee is designed to protect our children from our very own priests.....but I digress. Kettelkamp fired off a four page memo to all US Dioceses last year about compulsory instruction for children (batted about at great length here on FR) and Altier ripped her and the memo.

Anyhow, Flynn was ticked big time, so the story goes and he fired off a vigorous defense of said lady. However, it would appear that this was not the end of the matter and Fr. Altier has just found out the depths of Flynn's anger.

Bottom line: US bishops will exercise their episcopal authority. But only when they are personally affronted and not to safeguard souls from heresy and heterodoxy.