OK, I am no longer "all riled up" :-)

I was also raised a Catholic and an alter boy but haven't been to a church or cathedral for "doctrinal" reasons for dozens of years. But I do go there to marvel at the beauty and spirit caught in form by the artisans devoted to their crafts.

"The image of God is found in Work."

Abuse and greed are factors that creep into all human activities and tend to completely overwhelm them. If new creative impulses are not consciously brought into a human activity or organization at critical points, then the activity will eventually turn into its opposite. The religion of Love inevitably becomes the religion of the Inquisition once the generative influence has waned.

Yet it is patently obvious, given the evidence of certain cathedrals amongst other things, that some groups do keep the essence of the original impulse alive and have the knowledge and discipline to apply required inputs at critical times.

We are living in a critical time. Hopefully such groups still exist :-)