Ah it was different in the U.K. - more religiously relaxed even then naybe - or at least my experience. I was sent to a Catholic infant school as my Mum didn’t care for the local school. I was allowed to go to the church services, but not instruction. I probably didn’t take much heed of the talking but I can’t recall anything in the church much except having an ash cross on my forehead on Ash Wednesday and not being supposed to wash it off - I liked that idea but my Mum ignored it and scrubbed my face ha!
I also went to the Church of England Sunday School/church where we heard stories, coloured in and ventured into the (less eye catching than the Catholic) church to sing a hymn.
I guess the priest knew I wasn’t Catholic and obviously the school nuns but it was all nice - maybe because I wasn’t Catholic! Probably the Sunday School didn’t know I went to that school, but more likely didn’t care I think.
God stuff seemed a lot of nice things to my infant brain - saints day treats at one and colouring in at another place - no hellfire and damnation - perhaps a better way to encourage attendance/faith?
Still it didn’t actually stick, I go to no church and didn’t since very young, but my memories are solidly ingrained to the point it makes me feel unreasonably a bit surprised, as well appalled, if I hear some of the poorer stuff re the churches /convent schools.
It’s interesting hearing the differences in approach in different places/churches - I think even in the 60s England particularly in the U.K. has been fairly religiously relaxed generally so there was less of the cultural or local community necessity to practice faithfully.