Amen! Catholicism is the modern day Pharisee
Truly a Romans 10:3 moment.
Yes, it is sad.
With the access to the New Testament these days and the Holy Spirit available to give understanding and open ears and eyes to the simple truth that Jesus taught it's a little perplexing.
For the Pharisees the NT was being played out before their very eyes but they hardened their hearts to it.
Then for them, as is now for many adherents of Catholicism, religion is like a veil and blinders that blinds which brings to mind what Jesus said "Do you have a hardened heart? Do you have eyes, and not see, and do you have ears, and not hear?"--Mark 8:17,18.
Many warnings in the OT also, which was available to these pompous condescending religious leaders (who were referred to as whitewashed sepulcher, looking holy on the outside but rotting inwardly) Jeremiah 5:21; Isaiah 44:18.
They have many golden calves that need to be melted down.
More than once I have been having conversations about spiritual matters and will ask "are you a Christian?" and will get the answer "No, I'm a Catholic."
Lambs being led to slaughter, taught dogma and extra-Biblical tradition that overrides whatever is heard from scripture.