Everything else is bells and whistles.
Human nature is not able to understand the sacred mystery without the appropriate asethetics. Lex orendi lex credendi.
People do not understand what you call the sacred mystery...Otherwise there is no mystery...Some just accept it because they are told to believe it...Most don't believe it but accept it as part of the bigger religious propaganda...
But you are right...without the pomp there would be no draw to the Catholic religion...