Yes!  Icons help focus our thoughts on the sacred and transport us, even briefly into a sacred realm.  Contemplating an icon is  prayer; even glancing at a familiar icon constitutes (or can constitute, I guess) prayer.  
But icons do not belong only to the Orthodox.  Eastern Catholics also have icon s in their homes and churches.
I, for one, am glad that RCs are learning more about icons and iconography.  As long as they are treated with reverence, icons are a wonderful gift with deep meaning, one that ought to be shared.