I attended a Catholic school. We had alphabet letters with lower case and caps all the way around the room. Also had pictures, A is for apple, B is for banana etc. It was painless learning. Every afternoon the nun would read to us, usually from some children’s storybook...it made us want to read our own storybooks. It was joy to learn in that atmosphere. No stress, just enthusiasm and a desire to learn faster and read more. And so very simple.
I, too, attended Catholic schools pretty much all my school years, although my parents (who never went beyond high school) taught me to read by the age of four. We learned much the same way you did, plus phonics (this was back in the 70s and 80s). I always tested at least 3-4 grades ahead in reading level and my mom had to pretty much drag me out of the library as a kid.
My kids attend Catholic schools now, and wouldn’t you know it, they are learning to read the same way I did (and the school librarian is a nun, lol). All of my kids who are old enough to read do so above their grade level. Regular trips to the library are a part of our existence. I have several shelves for books surrounding our faux fireplace in the front room which are full and always increasing. I have stacks of library books just for me in both the living room and bedroom.
My oldest has participated in Battle of the Books for three years straight—it is the most popular activity in the school—over 65 kids (grades 4-6 are eligible) in a school of just about 300. They consistently place at the state level every year.
As you can see, reading is very much encouraged in our house and the school. I joked that my husband doesn’t like to read, which isn’t true, but until recently, he never really had the time. I bought him ‘Atlas Shrugged’ for his birthday in November. He just finished it this week and is now trying to figure out what to read next. Now he’s not allowed to tease me about the 700 page biographies and historical novels I bring home from the library ;)