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Old 31st Dec 2018, 07:30
  #61 (permalink)  
BEagle
 
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Quite near 'An aerodrome somewhere in England'
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The topic of religious persuasion cropped up fairly early in my time at RAFC Cranwell. However, amongst our number were quite a few ex-'Super Techs' who'd been selected from their apprentice training to become officers. Thinking they were clever, they did a bit of investigation...

The CofE contingent had a weekly Church parade at 10:30, inspection and then marched to the god shop. The service went on for ages (brightened up only by the AsCom's very pretty teenage daughter's backside), then we marched back again - with luck we were free by mid-day at the earliest.

The CSFC Church of Jocks and Others gathered a little earlier at 10:00 in the Junior Mess entrance, strolled to their church and were out again pretty quick.

Whereas the RC chaps simply turned up at their church at 09:30, mumbled some Latin and were done and dusted PDQ.... No inspection, no marching and a couple of hours of extra freedom.

So one morning, some of the ex-Super Techs asked to see the RC god-botherer, on the grounds that, after much thought, they'd come to the conclusion that Roman Catholicism was the best chance there was to rescue their heathen spirits. The RC sky-pilot was astonished and was almost on the point of ringing the Pope, or similar, to spread the good news.... But even he began to smell a rat. He told the would-be converts that instruction in Roman Catholicism would involve many hours of study and prayer - so were they really sure they were prepared to submit themselves to such hard work, given all the other pressures of Flight Cadet training.....the instruction would take place on Saturday afternoons.

Needless to say, there were quite a few more CofE cadets marching to church the following week!
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