He really needs to make some more sweeping changes.
Also, he made sure we had a crucifix up front (above the altar). There was none before that.
The one he put up looks rather strange, don't you think?
what he's been given to work with, he's done a good job.
On what sort of objective basis do you make that judgment?
If I had my druthers, the church would be more traditional-looking and the Tabernacle would be front and center, as it should be.
There are certain requirements that are non-negotiable. This church doesn't qualify as a place for a Catholic Mass.
The people of our parish, though, are wonderful.
If that's the case, then the pastor has no excuse. You might have said "The pastor has done all he can against the opposition of the liberal parishioners." But since you say that they are "wonderful," then the pastor should go in there this very week, rip out that hideous assymetrical altar, put in a tabernacle, replace the "dove and fire," have candles on the altar.
But I must admit some skepticism about how "wonderful" are the people who attend Mass in this building. They can't be very well educated in their faith or else they wouldn't tolerate something like this. They can't represent the "church militant" or they would have protested. They can't have a very deep devotion or they would have a tabernacle. They can't be very aware of Catholic liturgy or they would have at least 6 candles on the altar. They can't be very knowledgeable historically or they wouldn't tolerate such a revolutionary break with many hundreds of years of Catholic history. They can't be very Catholic or else they would realize that they are being taught protestantism -- whatever might come from the pulpit, this building is protestant, not Catholic.
Yesterday we had the thread from St. Leonard of Port Maurice in which he talked about the great majority of Catholic adults going to hell. What would make anyone think that this parish is an exception? Everything here screams that these people are following all the worst of the current trends.