The Catholic Reformation
By the mid-sixteenth century, things did not look good for Catholicism due to the spread of Protestantism. However, the Catholic Church revitalized in the sixteenth century for three chief reasons: the Jesuits, reform of the papacy, and the Council of Trent.
1.
The Jesuits – A Spanish nobleman named Ignatius of Loyola founded the Society of Jesus, known as the Jesuits.
The pope recognized Loyola and his followers as a religious order in 1540. Jesuits took a special vow of obedience to the pope. They used education to spread their message. They were successful in restoring Catholicism to parts of Germany and
eastern Europe, and in spreading it to other parts of the world.
2.
Reform of the Papacy - Pope Paul III saw the need to reform the papacy and appointed a Reform Commission in 1537 to determine the Church’s ills. It blamed the corrupt policies of the popes. Pope Paul III also convened the Council of Trent.
3.
Council of Trent –In 1545 a group of cardinals, archbishops, abbots, and
theologians met in the city of Trent. The council met off and on there for 18 years.
Its final decrees reaffirmed traditional Catholic teachings in opposition to Protestant beliefs. Both faith and works were needed for salvation. The seven sacraments, the Catholic view of communion (Eucharist), and clerical celibacy were upheld.
Belief in purgatory and the use of indulgences was strengthened, though selling indulgences was forbidden.
After the Council of Trent, the Roman Catholic Church had a clear body of doctrine and
was unified under the pope. It had a renewed spirit of confidence.