My suspicion that the experience of the lay in NY may reflect a trend of some priests is highligthened by yesterday's news about a Priest in Texas campaigning for Trump during mass.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/11/07/a-catholic-priest-put-an-aborted-fetus-on-the-altar-in-an-appeal-for-donald-trump/?tid=pm_local_pop_b