I don't claim to have studied the history of Church Tradition in this matter, I'm going by what I've been told by those who have.  We can certainly agree that there has been a focused attack on Church Tradition in general and in the minor orders in particular.

It makes sense that minor orders are distinguished from major orders for SOME reason, and maybe this has a lot to do with it.  That is, traditionally (as of from Apostolic times, most likely), major orders have been for priests and those whose vocation is to become a priest, while minor orders are for those who are at least testing their vocation, perhaps it is safe to say that all those in minor orders are in potency in process of sacerdotal ordination, just as any male is in potency a pope!  (Fr. Gregorius Hesse said that in one of his lectures:  "I AM POPE!"  -at which time he proceeded to elaborate on the meaning of what being in potency is all about.)

Therefore, any Porter, Acolyte or Lector is in potency a priest, some or perhaps MOST, never in fact become one.

There's actually some dispute among theologians about whether the so-called Minor Orders are actually part of Holy Orders or whether they're something different.

What's important, at the end of the day, is to understand that any liturgical role is an extension of the PRIESTHOOD and belongs properly ONLY TO THE PRIEST.  That's what the Minor Orders did; it established and enforced the liturgical theology that the people exercising various functions in the Liturgy were actually exercising Orders to an extent.

But the Novus Ordo liturgical theology redefined these as mere "roles" and "ministries" and "functions".  It became something that people just DID, and the notion that everything liturgical belongs properly to the priest was completely undermined.

And that's why I take the position that we must return to the original intent of the Minor Orders.  If you look at the Acts of the Apostles, there's no notion there that the deacons ordained by the Apostles were ordained as deacons in some transitory capacity on the way to the priesthood.