Cath was the stamp, and the only real problem was that priests would come around a lot. One didn't really want to piss 'em off, but didn't want to deal with them, either. The "invitations" to attend Mass were close to orders from them, but one could always find something urgent to do. And if you moved around a lot you didn't develop a history with any of them.

I figured if I was mortally wounded I really wouldn't care what kind of witchcraft was going on around me as long as the morphine was flowing. Would appreciate the concern, if not the way it was shown.

I think the issue could be very large in a closed community such as a ship, but in the more diffuse land and riverine postings no one cared a lot. They were much more concerned that you could hold up your part of the deal. And if all manner of tolerance were vigorously encouraged by a hands-on CO I found it was practiced.

I had some very, very religious COs, but fortunately I had real contact with only one. However, he regarded Cath as the Devil's right arm, and so he left me alone. In his mind I was hopeless. Badgered the Prots, though.

Hang out as much as you can in the Officer's Club and they won't find you. The Caths will, but they're too busy carousing to care. I saw a sloppy drunk guy confessing to an equally sloppy drunk priest off in a corner once. Wish I had a home movie of that. I'm pretty sure that would be a good strategy in the NCO and Enlisted clubs, too.

Arf