The town has seven houses, but only three of them have Catholic families living in them. One family is Hispanic, another African-American and one Anglo. Each one opens up to a hallway with the family’s children inviting you to come into their rooms. Each bedroom has a crucifix hanging on the wall and either a statue of Mary or a rosary on the dresser, none of which have links.

Each child has a painting of their "patron saint" with a link to a story about the dead person. Most come with the reminder: "Patron saints are our friends. Talk to them often." The same admonition is given to the children playing a game called "Cloud Hop" in one of the children’s rooms. "Your guardian angel should be your best friend. Talk to him!"

In the Diego household, Teresita has a painting of her namesake St. Teresa of Avila in her bedroom. It tells the story of how "Teresa became very ill, and she prayed to Saint Joseph to heal her. . . she began to grow closer to God and meditate on His Mysteries. . . . a small Child appeared to her. He asked her who she was, and when she answered, ‘I am Teresa of Jesus,’ the Child replied, ‘And I am Jesus of Teresa.’ . . .Sometimes Teresa would receive a vision of an Angel of God who was holding in his hand a golden arrow. He would pierce her heart with the arrow. . .Saint Teresa is the patron saint of people who suffer from headaches, people whose parents have died, and the country of Spain."

Many of the bedrooms have holy water canisters at the entrance. Even the clubhouse has one -- imagine that! The link gives a lesson to the child about how to bless himself by dipping his fingers into it and doing the sign of the cross. The links on the drops of water explain that it’s a "sacramental." "Holy water is a sign of Jesus Christ, Who is the Living Water; Our own Baptisms; Purity of life and forgiveness of sins. Holy Water forgives venial sins; Holy Water helps keep away evil." It’s all part of the indoctrination process.

Throughout the town Mary is lifted up and Jesus is rarely mentioned, and when he is he is seen as a child in his mother’s protecting arms. There is one puzzle that is a picture of the "Sacred Heart" of Jesus that is scrambled and has to be moved around to see the picture. I guess it’s an honorable mention.

Even in the town’s church (called "God’s House") Jesus is not uplifted. The foyer has a painting of the pope on one side and Mary holding an infant on the other. The painting of Mary links to a page of a big yellow star surrounded by little stars that reads: "Hail Queen of Heaven! -- Mary’s Page Coming Soon!" The painting of the pope is also under construction with the words: "Our Holy Father Pope John Paul II coming soon."

However in the room of the twins Mary and Erin, the painting of Mary with child does link to a tribute, teaching ridiculous folklore as historical fact. "When Mary was conceived inside her mother, Anne," the story reads, "God did not allow any stain of Original Sin to touch her soul, as it does with ours. This was His first way of preparing Mary to be the Mother of Jesus Christ. . . She was loved and cared for by her parents until she was three years old, and then they took her to live in the Temple, where she grew in holiness and learned to love the Lord. Mary stayed there for about eleven years, and then it was time for her to be married. A man named Joseph was chosen to be Mary’s husband… They kept their minds and bodies for God alone, and they had no children together…. Mary was taken up into Heaven, body and soul, at the end of her life so that she would be forever with her Son! Mary is our Queen Mother! Mary loves us!"

The "Faith Factory" takes you to the radio room where you’ll find "Sing-Along Songs." The TV Room reviews EWTN’s children programs: Angel Force; Image of God; The Donut Man, Story Keepers, Cherub Wings, CD Rome, Hey Brother Leo, and Scripture Safari. (But that’s a subject for another article.)

Both the post office and the library are under construction. By the time it’s finished you can be sure that all the Catholic superstitions and false beliefs fit to retard a child’s understanding of God will be compiled in a fun-filled imaginary world. The practice hasn’t changed but the methods have been updated.