Are Plain Catholics Anabaptists?

[MaxPC]

I must have missed the rest of this thread somehow. It is an old one.

The telly people approached one of Plain Catholic families in Montana. Apparently the tv people were there scouting for gullible Hutterites and tried it on with our PCs. The family declined.

Re rv lifestyle: we traveled a bit after my retirement. We sold the farm to one of our children and decided to travel. Now we live in a prefab house and have a small garden. We are both in our 80s and it was time to settle in again.

We are indeed private, attending church in small rural parishes. The Plain Catholics keep in touch with each other. In addition to farming and ranching we do have other occupations among some of the families. I was in academia for a bit. The lifestyle is flexible as long as the focus is on faith, family, modesty and rural life with a farm or ranch.

There are some who call themselves Back to the Land Catholics but they do not necessarily have family connections nor ancestors that were associated with the original movement. Like the Anabaptists, there are many different “flavors of Catholics”.

[steve-in-kville]

I must have missed the rest of this thread somehow. It is an old one.

The telly people approached one of Plain Catholic families in Montana. Apparently the tv people were there scouting for gullible Hutterites and tried it on with our PCs. The family declined.

Re rv lifestyle: we traveled a bit after my retirement. We sold the farm to one of our children and decided to travel. Now we live in a prefab house and have a small garden. We are both in our 80s and it was time to settle in again.

We are indeed private, attending church in small rural parishes. The Plain Catholics keep in touch with each other. In addition to farming and ranching we do have other occupations among some of the families. I was in academia for a bit. The lifestyle is flexible as long as the focus is on faith, family, modesty and rural life with a farm or ranch.

There are some who call themselves Back to the Land Catholics but they do not necessarily have family connections nor ancestors that were associated with the original movement. Like the Anabaptists, there are many different “flavors of Catholics”.

Maybe I asked this before, and I don't want to spin off a thread on its own, but where does Opus Dei fit in? I always thought this was a conservative branch of the Catholic Church. Am I wrong?

[MaxPC]

Maybe I asked this before, and I don't want to spin off a thread on its own, but where does Opus Dei fit in? I always thought this was a conservative branch of the Catholic Church. Am I wrong?

I do not recall that you have asked before. It is a somewhat complex answer to your question. I will try to explain if my poor brain can sort it simply and without causing more confusion.

Groundwork
The Catholic Church is comprised of the ordained; those in religious orders; and those who are laity. It has a presence on every continent (including Antarctica until last year). If one includes all seven rites in the worldwide Catholic communion we number close to 2 billion of which 1.2 billion are Latin rite, aka Roman Catholic.

Laity
With such large numbers and ethnicities, there are a variety of charisms (spiritual expressions) that Catholics may choose to follow if they like. As an example, most of you are aware of St. Francis and his Order of Franciscans. They have priests, monks/nuns, and laity who follow that charism. Their charism or spirituality still obeys the Bible and the Catechism** yet place emphasis on simplicity vs consumerism; care for the environment and animals, etc.
**There are “Franciscan” orders within other denominations who are not Catholic. I will avoid the long thesis of that development for the sake of brevity.

Opus Dei
Opus Dei is one of the many charisms within Catholic World. A majority of its membership is comprised of laity. Priests and vowed celibates are also members and the group is a led by a Prelate. All are obedient to the Magisterium (the governing body of the Latin Rite Church.)

Opus Dei places emphasis upon integrating one’s spiritual life with every day activities done with an attitude to glorify God. One’s work is especially focused on “doing as Jesus does”. In short, they seek to function in the most Christian manner in all aspects of life, quite similar to Anabaptist groups. Opus Dei members attend regular parishes but will meet together for retreats and conferences periodically.

Hopefully that is a little more clear than mud.

[ken_sylvania]

Are "Plain Roman Catholics" actually a real thing?

ChatGPT
No, "Plain Roman Catholics" is not a recognized or official term within the Catholic Church. The term "Plain Catholics" or "Plain People" is sometimes used colloquially to refer to Old Order Amish, Old Order Mennonites, or other Anabaptist groups who are known for their plain and simple lifestyle.

The addition of "Roman" to the term might be an attempt to emphasize the connection to the Roman Catholic Church, but it doesn't accurately represent any specific group or movement within Catholicism. It's important to note that within the Catholic Church, there is a rich diversity of traditions, orders, and spiritualities, but none are commonly referred to as "Plain Roman Catholics."

If someone uses this term, it's advisable to seek clarification on what exactly they mean, as it might be a colloquial expression or a personal label rather than an established category within Catholicism.

Sorry Max, this one was too much fun!

[ken_sylvania]

So are "Plain Catholics" actually Mennonite or Amish?
ChatGPT
Yes, when people refer to "Plain Catholics," they might be using the term colloquially to describe individuals or communities within the Roman Catholic Church who adopt a simple and traditional lifestyle, somewhat akin to the practices of groups like the Amish or Old Order Mennonites. However, it's crucial to clarify that these terms are not official designations within the Catholic Church.

Traditionally, the term "Plain People" has been associated with Anabaptist groups like the Amish, Mennonites, and similar communities. These groups are known for their plain dress, rejection of modern technology, and commitment to a simple and community-focused way of life.

If someone claims to be a "Plain Catholic," they might be emphasizing a commitment to simplicity, traditional practices, or a lifestyle inspired by certain aspects of Anabaptist communities. It's essential to approach such terms with an open mind and seek further clarification from individuals who use them, as personal interpretations can vary.

User
In other words, YMMV?

ChatGPT
Exactly, "Your Mileage May Vary" (YMMV). The use of terms like "Plain Catholic" may not have a universally agreed-upon definition, and interpretations can vary from person to person. It's always a good idea to seek clarification from individuals who use such terms to understand their specific beliefs, practices, and affiliations.

[Soloist]

In other news it has been reported that the sky has no color.

[MaxPC]

Are "Plain Roman Catholics" actually a real thing?

ChatGPT
No, "Plain Roman Catholics" is not a recognized or official term within the Catholic Church. The term "Plain Catholics" or "Plain People" is sometimes used colloquially to refer to Old Order Amish, Old Order Mennonites, or other Anabaptist groups who are known for their plain and simple lifestyle.

The addition of "Roman" to the term might be an attempt to emphasize the connection to the Roman Catholic Church, but it doesn't accurately represent any specific group or movement within Catholicism. It's important to note that within the Catholic Church, there is a rich diversity of traditions, orders, and spiritualities, but none are commonly referred to as "Plain Roman Catholics."

If someone uses this term, it's advisable to seek clarification on what exactly they mean, as it might be a colloquial expression or a personal label rather than an established category within Catholicism.

Sorry Max, this one was too much fun!

No worries, Ken_S. I noticed it did not mention the Back to the Land movement in which Plain Catholics originated. It just gives a vague description without any real understanding of the term. Since there are only a couple hundred Plain Catholic families in the world, we really cannot fault it for that, can we. At least we know now that even on my bad days, I can still function as well as ChatterG.

[Bootstrap]

Here's one real Plain Catholic community:

https://www.stlukecatholicchurchplain.com/

[JayP]

I did read the whole thread. No, “plain Catholics” are not Anabaptists.

Is that not like the easiest question in the history of Jeopardy?

It does NOT mean those folks are bad people. It does not mean literally anything except they are not Anabaptists.
Lifestyle choice, way of life, although a component does not define Anabaptist, although it may be an important quality.

Finally, nothing that requires Adult baptism, or rebaptism (can you spell Anabaptist?), is compatible with Catholicism.
These are not arguments about right or wrong, my church is better than yours. It is simply the facts of a religion.

Sacraments are essential to what is Catholic. Apostolic Succession is essential. They are not compatible with Anabaptism.

As a side note, and just for conversation, I looked at your parish. What makes it plain?
I could be wrong, but I pretty much see another novus ordo modern Catholic parish?
Which is clearly not my taste but I am not in charge. Looks no different than most parishes (from which I freely confess I run away from very quickly….lol)

[MaxPC]

Looks no different than most parishes (from which I freely confess I run away from very quickly….lol)

JayP: the UK Catholic Land Movement or Back to the Land Movement spawned the Plain Catholics. One of our characteristics is that we avoid all politics, both secular and those of the Church. One of the interesting observations I have made in my life is that all denominations and fellowships have political aspects. We focus upon our relationship with Jesus, our discipleship, our families. We live simply and control internet usage. We do not pursue secular distractions and entertainments.

I recommend two books if you are interested in the original CLM:
Flee to the Fields: The Faith and Works of the Catholic Land Movement

The Church and the Land by Fr. Vincent McNabb