Religion in the RN and RM's.

[davidemmerson]

Evening all.

I'm a while off going to any Naval establishment for a while (applying after Uni) but thought I'd ask anyway.

I'm a Christian (Anglican) and would obivously like to carry on with my faith if I was to get into training and pass out ( ). Are there church services at CTC? Do you train on Sundays and if you do, what's the score with getting time off to attend Church? Also, for example, say you are on board a ship and are put down for duties on Sunday and they conflict with a service, what's the crack with getting it changed? (Only so I could attend the service, not get the whole Sunday off!) I take there are regular services once you get to a Unit?

Is religion large in the Corps? Or more of a minority?

Thanks for the replies- if they come!

David

[druadan]

I wouldn't say it's a big part of Corps life in terms of the lads; however it is part of the tradition; unfortunately the most regular 'duty attend' services are funerals/repatriation/remembrance.

That's not to say it does not exist however. Every unit has a C of E (I believe) church and at least one Chaplain. The Chaplain has a unit role on the welfare side of things as well as looking after the Christian side of things. Services are held regularly, at the very least there's always a Sunday service, and obviously you're free to pursue whichever denomination you wish outside the unit (most a close enough to a large town to find 'your' church. You will work some Sundays in training, and no you won't get time off to attend services, but on the most part Sunday mornings are free. Once you're at a unit, unless you're on exercise/deployed your weekends are your own. The camp churches are open 24 hours so you can worship alone if for whatever reason you cannot attend a service, or if you are not the same denomination but the chapel is still suitable for your use. I couldn't tell you how well attended services are as I'm not religious, but the facilities are certainly there and you won't suffer in any way for it unless you really rub it in peoples faces - things like that are generally outside the scope of 'banter'!

[davidemmerson]

Hi druadan.

Thanks for the reply mate. I certinatly won't be rubbing it in people's faces!

I didn't realise they were open 24/7, that makes things easer. I'm not massivly into this 'Church is on a Sunday morning full stop' I just thought that was when the services would be, with the RN steeped in tradition. (Not a bad thing).

Cheers.