urban cloister

This is the inner cloister of the large Catholic Church that sits three blocks from my apartment. Instead of beautiful gardens nestled inside there is mostly asphalt and a few bushes. It's very interesting to me that religious living spaces have changed so little since the medieval time of monasteries, even in urban places like NYC where the real estate is so expensive. I've gone to this church on few occasions, once when my dog was very sick, and once to donate blood. Both instances had poor outcomes. I guess I don't have much faith in religion. I thought about lighting a candle today, but felt like doing so would make me a hypocrite. Besides, I needed that dollar more than the Catholic Church.