Why did church leaders launch the series of reforms known as the Catholic Reformation-?

Answer 1

A:

It is often thought that the Catholic Reformation was a response to the Protestant Reformation, but this is only partially true.

Pope Clement VII had become involved in a messy series of wars with the Emperor and lost, with Rome itself sacked. Rather than risk a vacuum by destroying the papacy, Emperor Charles offered to remove his troops from Rome and return the States of the Church to Clement, on condition that he would give hostages, agree to a council for the reformation of the Church, and remain politically neutral. Clement agreed to all these terms, but with no intention of calling the council. He knew that any effective council, in examining the morality and structure of the existing system, could not have failed to take into account Clement's own career and pronounce him unfit for office. Clement decided he would rather die than carry out this part of the agreement, so procrastinated until his death.

Pope Paul III succeeded Clement in office and, under continuing pressure from the Holy Roman Emperor, fulfilled the pact, calling the Council of Trent. The achievement of reforms was not the result of any desire within the Church to reform itself, but resulted from pressure from the Emperor.

Catholic Answer

The Catholic Reformation was a long series of reforms that went on for approximately 125 years beginning in the early 16th century. The causes were manifold, and mostly due to sin and ignorance. In many ways, the clergy were both causes and victims of this as their education was sorely neglected and they, in their turn, did not educate the laity. As a consequence Jesus was not preached and people (including the clergy) were not converted in their lives resulting in all kinds of problems. In addition, the laity who were in ruling positions were abusing their power, in many ways as a result of this growing ignorance. There also was a growing coldness towards God manifesting itself in civil life. Merchants were know to keep two sets of books, one for God, and one for profit. One merchant headed each page of his ledger "For God and profit". For a more complete coverage of all of this, including recommended resources, I would recommend Diane Moczar's book, Ten Dates Every Catholic Should Know, particularly the chapter entitled "The Protestant Catastrophe".

from the Catholic Encyclopedia

The term Counter-Reformation denotes the period of Catholic revival from the pontificate of Pope Pius IV in 1560 to the close of the Thirty Years' War, 1648. The name, though long in use among Protestant historians, has only recently been introduced into Catholic handbooks. The consequence is that it already has a meaning and an application, for which a word with a different nuance should perhaps have been chosen. For in the first place the name suggests that the Catholic movement came after the Protestant; whereas in truth the reform originally began in the Catholic Church, and Luther was a Catholic Reformer before he became a Protestant. By becoming a Protestant Reformer, he did indeed hinder the progress of the Catholic reformation, but he did not stop it.

from A Catholic Dictionary, edited by Donald Attwater, Second edition, revised 1957

The Counter-Reformation is the name given to the Catholic movement of reform and activity which lasted for about one hundred years from the beginning of the Council of Trent (q.v., 1545), and was the belated answer to the threatening confusion and increasing attacks of the previous years. It was the work principally of the Popes St. Pius V and Gregory XIII and the Council itself in the sphere of authority, of SS. Philip Neri and Charles Borromeo in the reform of the clergy and of life, of St. Ignatius and the Jesuits in apostolic activity of St. Francis Xavier in foreign missions, and of St. Teresa in the purely contemplative life which lies behind them all. But these were not the only names nor was it a movement of a few only; the whole Church emerged from the 15th century purified and revivified. On the other hand, it was a reformation rather than a restoration; the unity of western Christendom was destroyed; the Church militant (those still on earth) led by the Company of Jesus adopted offence as the best means of defence and, though she gained as much as she lost in some sense, the Church did not recover the exercise of her former spiritual supremacy in actuality.

from Modern Catholic Dictionary by John A. Hardon, S.J. Doubleday & Co., Inc. Garden City, NY 1980

A period of Catholic revival from 1522 to about 1648, better know as the Catholic Reform. It was an effort to stem the tide of Protestantism by genuine reform within the Catholic Church. There were political movements pressured by civil rules, and ecclesiastical movements carried out by churchmen in an attempt to restore genuine Catholic life by establishing new religious orders such as the Society of Jesus and restoring old orders to their original observances, such as the Carmelites under St. Teresa of Avila (1515-98). The main factors responsible for the Counter Reformation, however, were the papacy and the council of Trent (1545-63). Among church leaders St. Charles Borromeo (1538-84), Archbishop of Milan, enforced the reforms decreed by the council, and St. Francis de Sales of Geneva (1567-1622) spent his best energies in restoring genuine Catholic doctrine and piety. Among civil rulers sponsoring the needed reform were Philip II of Spain (1527-98) and Mary Tudor (1516-58), his wife, in England. Unfortunately this aspect of the reformation led to embitterment between England and Scotland, England and Spain, Poland and Sweden, and to almost two centuries of religious wars. As a result of the Counter Reformation, the Catholic Church became stronger in her institutional structure, more dedicated to the work of evangelization, and more influential in world affairs.

Answer 2

A:

It is often thought that the Catholic Reformation was a response to the Protestant Reformation, but this is only partially true.

Pope Clement VII had become involved in a messy series of wars with the Emperor and lost, with Rome itself sacked. Rather than risk a vacuum by destroying the papacy, Emperor Charles offered to remove his troops from Rome and return the States of the Church to Clement, on condition that he would give hostages, agree to a council for the reformation of the Church, and remain politically neutral. Clement agreed to all these terms, but with no intention of calling the council. He knew that any effective council, in examining the morality and structure of the existing system, could not have failed to take into account Clement's own career and pronounce him unfit for office. Clement decided he would rather die than carry out this part of the agreement, so procrastinated until his death.

Pope Paul III succeeded Clement in office and, under continuing pressure from the Holy Roman Emperor, fulfilled the pact, calling the Council of Trent. The achievement of reforms was not the result of any desire within the Church to reform itself, but resulted from pressure from the Emperor.

Catholic Answer

The Catholic Reformation was a long series of reforms that went on for approximately 125 years beginning in the early 16th century. The causes were manifold, and mostly due to sin and ignorance. In many ways, the clergy were both causes and victims of this as their education was sorely neglected and they, in their turn, did not educate the laity. As a consequence Jesus was not preached and people (including the clergy) were not converted in their lives resulting in all kinds of problems. In addition, the laity who were in ruling positions were abusing their power, in many ways as a result of this growing ignorance. There also was a growing coldness towards God manifesting itself in civil life. Merchants were know to keep two sets of books, one for God, and one for profit. One merchant headed each page of his ledger "For God and profit". For a more complete coverage of all of this, including recommended resources, I would recommend Diane Moczar's book, Ten Dates Every Catholic Should Know, particularly the chapter entitled "The Protestant Catastrophe".

from the Catholic Encyclopedia

The term Counter-Reformation denotes the period of Catholic revival from the pontificate of Pope Pius IV in 1560 to the close of the Thirty Years' War, 1648. The name, though long in use among Protestant historians, has only recently been introduced into Catholic handbooks. The consequence is that it already has a meaning and an application, for which a word with a different nuance should perhaps have been chosen. For in the first place the name suggests that the Catholic movement came after the Protestant; whereas in truth the reform originally began in the Catholic Church, and Luther was a Catholic Reformer before he became a Protestant. By becoming a Protestant Reformer, he did indeed hinder the progress of the Catholic reformation, but he did not stop it.

from A Catholic Dictionary, edited by Donald Attwater, Second edition, revised 1957

The Counter-Reformation is the name given to the Catholic movement of reform and activity which lasted for about one hundred years from the beginning of the Council of Trent (q.v., 1545), and was the belated answer to the threatening confusion and increasing attacks of the previous years. It was the work principally of the Popes St. Pius V and Gregory XIII and the Council itself in the sphere of authority, of SS. Philip Neri and Charles Borromeo in the reform of the clergy and of life, of St. Ignatius and the Jesuits in apostolic activity of St. Francis Xavier in foreign missions, and of St. Teresa in the purely contemplative life which lies behind them all. But these were not the only names nor was it a movement of a few only; the whole Church emerged from the 15th century purified and revivified. On the other hand, it was a reformation rather than a restoration; the unity of western Christendom was destroyed; the Church militant (those still on earth) led by the Company of Jesus adopted offence as the best means of defence and, though she gained as much as she lost in some sense, the Church did not recover the exercise of her former spiritual supremacy in actuality.

from Modern Catholic Dictionary by John A. Hardon, S.J. Doubleday & Co., Inc. Garden City, NY 1980

A period of Catholic revival from 1522 to about 1648, better know as the Catholic Reform. It was an effort to stem the tide of Protestantism by genuine reform within the Catholic Church. There were political movements pressured by civil rules, and ecclesiastical movements carried out by churchmen in an attempt to restore genuine Catholic life by establishing new religious orders such as the Society of Jesus and restoring old orders to their original observances, such as the Carmelites under St. Teresa of Avila (1515-98). The main factors responsible for the Counter Reformation, however, were the papacy and the council of Trent (1545-63). Among church leaders St. Charles Borromeo (1538-84), Archbishop of Milan, enforced the reforms decreed by the council, and St. Francis de Sales of Geneva (1567-1622) spent his best energies in restoring genuine Catholic doctrine and piety. Among civil rulers sponsoring the needed reform were Philip II of Spain (1527-98) and Mary Tudor (1516-58), his wife, in England. Unfortunately this aspect of the reformation led to embitterment between England and Scotland, England and Spain, Poland and Sweden, and to almost two centuries of religious wars. As a result of the Counter Reformation, the Catholic Church became stronger in her institutional structure, more dedicated to the work of evangelization, and more influential in world affairs.

Answer 3

A:

It is often thought that the Catholic Reformation was a response to the Protestant Reformation, but this is only partially true.

Pope Clement VII had become involved in a messy series of wars with the Emperor and lost, with Rome itself sacked. Rather than risk a vacuum by destroying the papacy, Emperor Charles offered to remove his troops from Rome and return the States of the Church to Clement, on condition that he would give hostages, agree to a council for the reformation of the Church, and remain politically neutral. Clement agreed to all these terms, but with no intention of calling the council. He knew that any effective council, in examining the morality and structure of the existing system, could not have failed to take into account Clement's own career and pronounce him unfit for office. Clement decided he would rather die than carry out this part of the agreement, so procrastinated until his death.

Pope Paul III succeeded Clement in office and, under continuing pressure from the Holy Roman Emperor, fulfilled the pact, calling the Council of Trent. The achievement of reforms was not the result of any desire within the Church to reform itself, but resulted from pressure from the Emperor.

Catholic Answer

The Catholic Reformation was a long series of reforms that went on for approximately 125 years beginning in the early 16th century. The causes were manifold, and mostly due to sin and ignorance. In many ways, the clergy were both causes and victims of this as their education was sorely neglected and they, in their turn, did not educate the laity. As a consequence Jesus was not preached and people (including the clergy) were not converted in their lives resulting in all kinds of problems. In addition, the laity who were in ruling positions were abusing their power, in many ways as a result of this growing ignorance. There also was a growing coldness towards God manifesting itself in civil life. Merchants were know to keep two sets of books, one for God, and one for profit. One merchant headed each page of his ledger "For God and profit". For a more complete coverage of all of this, including recommended resources, I would recommend Diane Moczar's book, Ten Dates Every Catholic Should Know, particularly the chapter entitled "The Protestant Catastrophe".

from the Catholic Encyclopedia

The term Counter-Reformation denotes the period of Catholic revival from the pontificate of Pope Pius IV in 1560 to the close of the Thirty Years' War, 1648. The name, though long in use among Protestant historians, has only recently been introduced into Catholic handbooks. The consequence is that it already has a meaning and an application, for which a word with a different nuance should perhaps have been chosen. For in the first place the name suggests that the Catholic movement came after the Protestant; whereas in truth the reform originally began in the Catholic Church, and Luther was a Catholic Reformer before he became a Protestant. By becoming a Protestant Reformer, he did indeed hinder the progress of the Catholic reformation, but he did not stop it.

from A Catholic Dictionary, edited by Donald Attwater, Second edition, revised 1957

The Counter-Reformation is the name given to the Catholic movement of reform and activity which lasted for about one hundred years from the beginning of the Council of Trent (q.v., 1545), and was the belated answer to the threatening confusion and increasing attacks of the previous years. It was the work principally of the Popes St. Pius V and Gregory XIII and the Council itself in the sphere of authority, of SS. Philip Neri and Charles Borromeo in the reform of the clergy and of life, of St. Ignatius and the Jesuits in apostolic activity of St. Francis Xavier in foreign missions, and of St. Teresa in the purely contemplative life which lies behind them all. But these were not the only names nor was it a movement of a few only; the whole Church emerged from the 15th century purified and revivified. On the other hand, it was a reformation rather than a restoration; the unity of western Christendom was destroyed; the Church militant (those still on earth) led by the Company of Jesus adopted offence as the best means of defence and, though she gained as much as she lost in some sense, the Church did not recover the exercise of her former spiritual supremacy in actuality.

from Modern Catholic Dictionary by John A. Hardon, S.J. Doubleday & Co., Inc. Garden City, NY 1980

A period of Catholic revival from 1522 to about 1648, better know as the Catholic Reform. It was an effort to stem the tide of Protestantism by genuine reform within the Catholic Church. There were political movements pressured by civil rules, and ecclesiastical movements carried out by churchmen in an attempt to restore genuine Catholic life by establishing new religious orders such as the Society of Jesus and restoring old orders to their original observances, such as the Carmelites under St. Teresa of Avila (1515-98). The main factors responsible for the Counter Reformation, however, were the papacy and the council of Trent (1545-63). Among church leaders St. Charles Borromeo (1538-84), Archbishop of Milan, enforced the reforms decreed by the council, and St. Francis de Sales of Geneva (1567-1622) spent his best energies in restoring genuine Catholic doctrine and piety. Among civil rulers sponsoring the needed reform were Philip II of Spain (1527-98) and Mary Tudor (1516-58), his wife, in England. Unfortunately this aspect of the reformation led to embitterment between England and Scotland, England and Spain, Poland and Sweden, and to almost two centuries of religious wars. As a result of the Counter Reformation, the Catholic Church became stronger in her institutional structure, more dedicated to the work of evangelization, and more influential in world affairs.

Answer 4

A:

It is often thought that the Catholic Reformation was a response to the Protestant Reformation, but this is only partially true.

Pope Clement VII had become involved in a messy series of wars with the Emperor and lost, with Rome itself sacked. Rather than risk a vacuum by destroying the papacy, Emperor Charles offered to remove his troops from Rome and return the States of the Church to Clement, on condition that he would give hostages, agree to a council for the reformation of the Church, and remain politically neutral. Clement agreed to all these terms, but with no intention of calling the council. He knew that any effective council, in examining the morality and structure of the existing system, could not have failed to take into account Clement's own career and pronounce him unfit for office. Clement decided he would rather die than carry out this part of the agreement, so procrastinated until his death.

Pope Paul III succeeded Clement in office and, under continuing pressure from the Holy Roman Emperor, fulfilled the pact, calling the Council of Trent. The achievement of reforms was not the result of any desire within the Church to reform itself, but resulted from pressure from the Emperor.

Catholic Answer

The Catholic Reformation was a long series of reforms that went on for approximately 125 years beginning in the early 16th century. The causes were manifold, and mostly due to sin and ignorance. In many ways, the clergy were both causes and victims of this as their education was sorely neglected and they, in their turn, did not educate the laity. As a consequence Jesus was not preached and people (including the clergy) were not converted in their lives resulting in all kinds of problems. In addition, the laity who were in ruling positions were abusing their power, in many ways as a result of this growing ignorance. There also was a growing coldness towards God manifesting itself in civil life. Merchants were know to keep two sets of books, one for God, and one for profit. One merchant headed each page of his ledger "For God and profit". For a more complete coverage of all of this, including recommended resources, I would recommend Diane Moczar's book, Ten Dates Every Catholic Should Know, particularly the chapter entitled "The Protestant Catastrophe".

from the Catholic Encyclopedia

The term Counter-Reformation denotes the period of Catholic revival from the pontificate of Pope Pius IV in 1560 to the close of the Thirty Years' War, 1648. The name, though long in use among Protestant historians, has only recently been introduced into Catholic handbooks. The consequence is that it already has a meaning and an application, for which a word with a different nuance should perhaps have been chosen. For in the first place the name suggests that the Catholic movement came after the Protestant; whereas in truth the reform originally began in the Catholic Church, and Luther was a Catholic Reformer before he became a Protestant. By becoming a Protestant Reformer, he did indeed hinder the progress of the Catholic reformation, but he did not stop it.

from A Catholic Dictionary, edited by Donald Attwater, Second edition, revised 1957

The Counter-Reformation is the name given to the Catholic movement of reform and activity which lasted for about one hundred years from the beginning of the Council of Trent (q.v., 1545), and was the belated answer to the threatening confusion and increasing attacks of the previous years. It was the work principally of the Popes St. Pius V and Gregory XIII and the Council itself in the sphere of authority, of SS. Philip Neri and Charles Borromeo in the reform of the clergy and of life, of St. Ignatius and the Jesuits in apostolic activity of St. Francis Xavier in foreign missions, and of St. Teresa in the purely contemplative life which lies behind them all. But these were not the only names nor was it a movement of a few only; the whole Church emerged from the 15th century purified and revivified. On the other hand, it was a reformation rather than a restoration; the unity of western Christendom was destroyed; the Church militant (those still on earth) led by the Company of Jesus adopted offence as the best means of defence and, though she gained as much as she lost in some sense, the Church did not recover the exercise of her former spiritual supremacy in actuality.

from Modern Catholic Dictionary by John A. Hardon, S.J. Doubleday & Co., Inc. Garden City, NY 1980

A period of Catholic revival from 1522 to about 1648, better know as the Catholic Reform. It was an effort to stem the tide of Protestantism by genuine reform within the Catholic Church. There were political movements pressured by civil rules, and ecclesiastical movements carried out by churchmen in an attempt to restore genuine Catholic life by establishing new religious orders such as the Society of Jesus and restoring old orders to their original observances, such as the Carmelites under St. Teresa of Avila (1515-98). The main factors responsible for the Counter Reformation, however, were the papacy and the council of Trent (1545-63). Among church leaders St. Charles Borromeo (1538-84), Archbishop of Milan, enforced the reforms decreed by the council, and St. Francis de Sales of Geneva (1567-1622) spent his best energies in restoring genuine Catholic doctrine and piety. Among civil rulers sponsoring the needed reform were Philip II of Spain (1527-98) and Mary Tudor (1516-58), his wife, in England. Unfortunately this aspect of the reformation led to embitterment between England and Scotland, England and Spain, Poland and Sweden, and to almost two centuries of religious wars. As a result of the Counter Reformation, the Catholic Church became stronger in her institutional structure, more dedicated to the work of evangelization, and more influential in world affairs.

Answer 5

It is often thought that the Catholic Reformation was a response to the Protestant Reformation, but this is only partially true. Pope Clement VII had become involved in a messy series of wars with the Emperor and lost, with Rome itself sacked. Rather than risk a vacuum by destroying the papacy, Emperor Charles offered to remove his troops from Rome and return the States of the Church to Clement, on condition that he would give hostages, agree to a council for the reformation of the Church, and remain politically neutral. Clement agreed to all these terms, but with no intention of calling the council. He knew that any effective council, in examining the morality and structure of the existing system, could not have failed to take into account Clement's own career and pronounce him unfit for office. Clement decided he would rather die than carry out this part of the agreement, so procrastinated until his death. Pope Paul III succeeded Clement in office and, under continuing pressure from the Holy Roman Emperor, fulfilled the pact, calling the Council of Trent. The achievement of reforms was not the result of any desire within the Church to reform itself, but resulted from pressure from the Emperor.