I never got around to watching this when it was first released -- I was in my youth, and Arthur Lowe's character seemed far too stuffy on first sight compared with his recent long-running Captain Mainwaring in Dad's Army. But I've enjoyed very much all I've seen of it when shown recently on UKTV. Can't agree that it's a "gentle look" at Catholicism because it's so well written with so much talent on display (and behind the scenes) and the main character is so pithy and deep -- that it leaves the premise of "Father Ted" (much later) having stand-up comics perform looking second rate.