the church provided the sense of stability unity and order
I think that it replaced previous institutions of education, culture and religion (not that education or culture is non-Catholic). In many ways the Catholic church helped preserve literacy and the arts. The Roman Catholic religion was the main source of faith and values for Western Europe.
The Catholic Church was enthusiastically behind the persecution of all that did not profess to agree with its doctrine especially if they had a little money.
There was only the Catholic church and they ruled the government and society.
Indulgences were certificates sold by the Catholic Church in the medieval period that promised forgiveness of sins and reduced time in purgatory. They were used to raise money for the church and were a controversial practice that contributed to the Protestant Reformation.
Did the people from medieval times play checkers?
Anyone who know's how to play it
It made the Church dependent on individual monarchs.
A mummers play is a play performed by the mummers in the medieval times.
They were the nobility and ran the government with the Church.
Protection
no, women didn't participate in anything in medieval times, women were looked down on and it was inappropriate.
The Catholic Church was instrumental in bringing exploration to the world. The church was interested in converting indigenous populations. Priests very often accompanied the explorers.
The cardinals were the most important of the archbishops. They were leaders of the Church in the areas they came from. They had one authority no one else had, which was the ability to elect a new pope when the old pope died.