Ideas in Catholicism: Beliefs and Practices

[TheLightWithin]

@Thomas, you may be the one who could speak to this best.
I have heard this before, that Catholics cannot take communion unless they have gone to confession. But is there more to it?
Does the speaker in this video (a priest) explain it accurately? (5 minute video)
I understand the logic, sort of? What I do not understand is what is it that goes wrong if someone does take communion without proper confession.
He says it profanes it, but does that mean it is disrespectful or that harm is done in terms of either salvation or in terms of upsetting G-d, or something in the heavenly realms, or something else??

 

[TheLightWithin]

Here's another one by the same priest, talking about the use of statuary and icons in Catholic worship.
One of the many critiques my grandparents had about Catholicism was the supposed use of "graven images" or the idea that Catholics were "praying to statues" . I took that at face value but only slightly knew what it meant. I did personally think the statues were mysterious and beautiful.
(Interestingly my grandmother loved statues of angels, cherubs, and... Buddha! I think she just thought they were works of art though)

If I understand correctly, from what I have read and heard, statues and icons in Catholicism have to do with the images being representational of the invisible. I think that is more or less what this priest explains here.

In Orthodox churches, if I understand correctly, they ONLY use Icons (Ikons) due to wanting to avoid graven images all together.

From what I have read elsewhere these are different from idols in the sense that pagan idols at least of the ancient past were thought to be actually occupied by negative or demonic forces or entities against G-d, and were therefore considered dangerous.

I have no real idea as to whether that is also believed about the uses of idols in some Eastern religions, but I would assume so.

In this video of less than 5 minutes, the priest explains the position of the use of statues and iconography in the church.
Does he have it right? Is there more to it?