Catholic Counter Reformation

The Catholic Counter Reformation was the church’s response to the

events of the Protestant Reformation. Thousands of people flocked to the
new Protestantism, leaving the Catholic Church behind. The Catholic Church
decided to try to reform the church from within. At first, it left the response
to reformers in the hands of individuals, such as Ignatius Loyola. He was an
ordinary clergyman who had trained as a soldier. His goal was to give birth
to a new religious order, which combined the intellectual distinction of
humanism with a reformed Catholicism. His hopes were that this new order
would appeal to powerful political and economic groups. Thus, he founded
the Society of Jesus in 1534, with the purpose of preaching and winning over
new converts to the church. They became the Jesuits and dedicated
themselves to teaching, constantly stressing the importance and power of
preaching. The Jesuits believed that it was essential for Christians to be
united and they believed that Protestant theology was flawed.
The Protestantsbelieved in Predestination, which offered salvation to the
educated and wealthy laity. Technically, the poor were included, as well. But
what about the other side? A person might suffer a lifetime of suffering and
despair—tormented by the horror of inevitable damnation. In the face of this
frightening view of the future, the Jesuits offered people hope. They
proposed a religious rebirth based on tradition, ceremony and the ability of
the priest to offer forgiveness. In order to gain as much strength as possible
for their movement, the Jesuits sought positions as confessors to rulers and
princes. Then, using their influence, they urged them to use their power and
energies to strengthen the church in their regions.
The Council of Trent

The Council of Trent played an important part in determining the outcome of

the Counter-Reformation. Along with the part played by the Jesuits and certain
individuals, the Council of Trent was a central feature of the Counter-Reformation.
But whether Trent represented a positive move by the Catholic Church remains
contentious.

Any long term change in the Catholic Church depended on the attitude of the pope
in power at one particular time. If there was no desire for change, then there would
be no change! Julius III (1550 to 1555) showed little interest in reform. There were
those popes who were the opposite and were truly interested in moving forward the
Catholic Church such as Sixtus V (1585 to 1590).

The Council of Trent was called by Paul Ill who was pope from 1534 to 1549 and it
first sat in December 1545. It was finally disbanded in 1563 but though it would
appear to have a life span of 18 years, it was only engaged in talks for four and a
half years. Most of the popes at this time did not want to lose power and "they did
not feel any enthusiasm for the abolition of abuses which were lucrative for the
Papacy." (Cowie)

The pope did not attend the meetings of the Council and he took no formal part in
it. But his legates ensured that the pope’s views would always be put forward and
this meant that there was no danger in the revival of conciliarism (the Council being
superior to the pope).

700 bishops could have attended the Council but to start with only 31 turned up
along with 50 theologians. By 1563, a total of 270 bishops attended and the vast
majority of them were Italian which was a great bonus for the pope as they were
under his control and it was the pope who effectively controlled promotion to
cardinal etc. and these men would not be seen in public doing anything other than
what the pope wanted. The bishops also insisted that they vote as individuals rather
than as a block-country vote and as there were 187 Italian bishops, 32 Spanish, 28
French and 2 German the Italians vastly outnumbered the other three countries put
together! As such what was to be passed at Trent was what the pope accepted as
being acceptable to him.

The Council had been called to examine doctrine and reform. Charles V had wanted
abuses looked at first in an attempt to please the Protestants and hopefully tempt
them back to the church. Once they were back they could look at doctrine. Paul III
did not want this as reforms could financially damage him and concessions could
diminish his authority. The result was that two separate sections dealt with reform
and doctrine simultaneously.
Vatican I

The First Vatican Council was convoked by Pope Pius IX on 29 June 1868, after a period
of planning and preparation that began on 6 December 1864.[1] This twentieth ecumenical council of
the Roman Catholic Church,[2] held three centuries after the Council of Trent, opened on 8 December
1869 and adjourned on 20 October 1870.[1]Unlike the five earlier General Councils held in Rome,
which met in theLateran Basilica and are known as the Lateran Councils, it met in theVatican
Basilica, whence its name of First Vatican Council. Its best-known decision is its definition of papal
infallibility.

Vatican II

The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was the twenty-
first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October
1962 and closed under Pope Paul VI on 8 December 1965. Of those that took part in the council's
opening session, four have become pontiffs to date: Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini, who on
succeeding Pope John XXIII took the name ofPaul VI; Bishop Albino Luciani, the future Pope John
Paul I; Bishop Karol Wojtyła, who became Pope John Paul II; and Father Joseph Ratzinger, present
as a theological consultant, who became Pope Benedict XVI.