Doesn't Richard Rohr say something similar?  "You have to learn the rules very carefully so you know how to properly break them," something like that.  We do need structure, but then structure is the means to greater things, not the end.  I agree that actual Catholic teaching does contain much mystery, beauty and room to explore.  Rigidity, superstition and moralism is more likely to show up in popular Catholic culture that gets passed off as actual teaching.