The Catholic Church's response to the development of Protestantism was the Counter-Reformation. This was a period of renewing and reinforcing Catholic doctrine, practices, and institutions in response to the challenges posed by the Protestant Reformation. The Catholic Church held the Council of Trent from 1545 to 1563, which reaffirmed many of the teachings and practices that were being challenged by the Protestant reformers. The Counter-Reformation also led to the establishment of new religious orders, such as the Jesuits, to help combat the spread of Protestantism.
