Your request for stories evoked so many happy memories. One that comes immediately to mind is as follows:

I was elected president of DUCS, the Durham University Catholic Society.

We invited the bishop of Hexham and Newcastle Diocese as guest of honour for our annual dinner in 1961.

I practised carefully a Latin "Grace" to open the proceedings. At the appropriate time I stood up and started "Benedicte", and then my mind went totally blank. I could do nothing but make a sign of the cross and sit down very embarrassed. At which point the bishop leant across to me and said "I am so pleased that you used the short version of Grace"

John N Turnbull FREng