Growing nationalism, the Western Schism, and even new philosophies arising from the Renaissance were contributing factors. But on October 31, 1517, every previous event seemed less significant. On this date, Martin Luther posted a document listing ninety-five theses, all of which amplified problems within the Catholic Church. This was the birth of the Protestant Reformation, a blow to the Catholic Church and its followers. This pushed the church to make many internal adjustments, from religious orders to church political influences, reworking the structure of the traditional Mass itself, and even restructuring many internal positions. This list of corrections made and actions taken in response to the Protestant Reformation is commonly referred to as the Counter-Reformation. To begin the long and arduous process of repairing the church, several new orders were formed. Many of these new religious orders prevented power-hungry officials and preachers from abusing their influence. Orders such as the Ursulines, the Theatines and the Jesuits operated in rural areas and showed examples of Catholic renewal. The Theatine order was founded to help stop the spread of heresy within the church. This order also aided the regeneration of the clergy. The Ursuline order specialized in the education of young women. By dedicating themselves to traditional works of mercy, the Ursuline order helped exemplify the Counter-Reformation reaffirmation of the importance of faith, works, and salvation through the grace of God. This made the church much more effective, all while reaffirming core institutions of the medieval Church. The most effective of these new orders was that of the Jesuits. Thanks to much of the growth of the Catholic Church during the Counter-Reformation......middle of paper......the composition made it impossible to understand the sacred texts. People requested monophonic hymns, such as Gregorian chants, for mass. At its climax, the council decided that sacred music should not be made “to give empty pleasure to the ear,” but that hymns should instead inspire religious contemplation. (Kamien, 2011) The Council of Trent did not completely ban the polyphonic mass, although the public wanted monophonic hymns for the masses, Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, one of the most important composers of the Italian Renaissance, the most famous mass, Pope Marcellus, was polyphonic. Works Cited1. Viladesau, Richard. "Theology and art of the Counter-Reformation: the example of Rubens' Passion paintings*." Toronto Journal of Theology 28.1 (2012): 29-42. Academic research completed. Network. 9 April 2014.2. Kamien, Roger. Music An appreciation. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.