nontrappist

NonTrappist is a term encountered mainly in online discussions and in fictional settings to refer to a person who is not a member of the Trappist order. It is not a formal title or an official designation within the Catholic Church.

The Trappists, formally the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (OCSO), are a Catholic monastic order known for contemplative life, strict adherence to vows, and a tradition of silence and enclosure. The label nonTrappist therefore signals not membership in this order rather than a statement about personal virtue or belief. In formal church use, no distinction like nonTrappist exists as an official category.

Usage of the term is predominantly descriptive. In religious studies, it may be used to contrast Trappists with other monastic groups within the broader Cistercian family or with lay practitioners who emulate Trappist-style asceticism without taking vows. In fiction and online culture, nonTrappist can describe characters who pursue similar spiritual disciplines without joining the order or who operate within a setting that includes Trappist institutions.

Spelling and variants vary; camelCase forms such as nonTrappist appear in digital texts, while other writings might render it as non-Trappist or nontrappist. There is no standardized scholarly usage, and the term should be treated as informal and contextual rather than a formal designation.

See also: Trappists, Cistercians, Monasticism.