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Rhea Everett

Briar Cliff University

Theology
3/6/2016
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As a student at Briar Cliff University I am studying the Christianity faith. During this

time of study I have learned about the Roman church during the Catholic (counter) Reformation.

During this paper I plan to share some of the knowledge I have gained. Some of the Knowledge

is on the individuals and institutions that contributed to the churchs response to the reform.

Along with the various theological, political and social challenges posed by Protestantism.
The Catholic (counter) reformation occurred during a time known as Pre-Tridentine, or

the new order. During this time groups of clergy known as Oratories came about. These Oratories

concentrated on meditation, mutual support and prayer. One Oratory was the oratory of Divine

love, established in 1517 in Rome. In 1524 two members from the oratory of Divine love started

Theatines. This combated the abuse and scandals that corrupted the church. They combatted this

by providing training for the clergy in leadership positons of the church who were reform-

minded (Cory, C. A. (2000). There was another oratory, the ursulines.

The ursulines was founded in 1535. They were the first order that was dedicated to

women and to teaching a active life. Unlike the nuns and monks the ursulines did not withdraw

from the world. They lead a lifestyle devoted to serve others. Others such as the schools.

Orphanages and hospitals. Another Oratories was Congregation of the mission.

Congregation of the mission, also known as Lazarists or Vincentians, was started by St.

Vincent de Paul in 1625. This oratory focused on preaching missions. These missions were

meant as a renewal retreat for lay people, mainly focusing on preparing young men. This oratory

believed that the Catholic Church was in a state of abuse because the priests were poorly trained

with little education (Cory, C. A. (2000). The Society of Jesus, which was founded by Ignatius of

Loyola in 1540, was another oratory.

The Society of Jesus at first was called the Company of Jesus. They ministered to the

poor and the unbelievers of the catholic faith. Focusing their work on education, on children and

those who could not read. Education was also focused on their members along with those of the
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upper class and training of the clergy. The Society of Jesus saw the Protestant as disobedient

where the Society was vowed to the pope. They would do what and go where ever the pope told

them to go. Their founded Ignatius of Loyola came from a military background, including one

arrest (Cory, C. A. (2000). Along with oratories there was papal reforms, one main papal

reformer was Pope Paul III.

Pope Paul III was pope form 1534-1549, during which time he worked on an internal

reform within the church. He started with the College of Cardinals by appointing reformers,

mainly from the oratory of Divine Love. Pope Paul III worked on reforming the way the church

was run by having a reform commission. This commission recommend the College of Cardinals

change from being concentrated on wealth and power of the world to being concentrated on the

spiritual matters within the church. These included the selling of the offices in the church and the

different indulgences (Cory, C. A. (2000). Another big part of the Catholic Reform was he

council of Trent.
The council of Trent was formed to be an official council to end the reform. By either

coming to a conclusion with the reformers or start reform within the church itself. The council

started with the doctrinal issues in the church, mainly those that related to Protestants reform.

The main issue of the protestant reform was the issue of faith, they believed that faith justified a

person itself. In response the council of Trent said that a person is justified by faith, the first stage

of human salvation. Grace was another issue of the reform. The Protestants felt that grace was

the only good work humans could do (Cory, C. A. (2000). Where the Council said that humans

could do good by cooperating with Gods grace. The Council of Trent also addressed the

education issues of the reform.

The Council of Trent established that the clergy should be educated. That all candidates

should be sent to a university, or a seminary if there was no university nearby for training. This

improved the ability of the Catholics to preach. Many had left the Catholic Church for the
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protestant for the way they preached and spread the word of god. With the education the clergy

was able to be better preachers and teachers of their followers (Cory, C. A. (2000).
The Catholic reform contained many different groups and individuals. These groups and

individuals each had a different effect on the reform. Each group had its own aspects that it

brought to the reform.

Word count: 796

Resources

Cory, C. A. (2000). The Christian theological tradition reader. Upper Saddler River, NJ: Prentice

Hall.