The council of Trent

While a great part of Gaetano's life was devoted to the care of the poor and the sick, we have to take into account that the main scope of instituting the Theatine order was to start Reform from within the church.

Gaetano, Carafa and their fellows were to be an ideal example of how disciplined Catholic priests should live. They wanted to start with themselves, reform their own lives and then serve as an example to the various parishes. They wanted to set the spark and kindle a fire of reform with the 'common' clergy, that is why the Theatine's actual name was Clerics Regular. From the priests, this reform was hoped to spread to the Bishops (Carafa himself was a bishop when he became a member of the order) and to the whole church by example.

The nineteenth ecumenical council opened in Trent on the 13th December 1545, and wrapped up there on the 4th December 1563. Its main aim was the definitive determination of the doctrines of the Church in answer to the heresies of the Protestants. A further objective was the execution of a thorough reform of the inner life of the Church by removing the numerous abuses that had developed in it.

Gaetano died about a year and a half after the Council started but in his life he had already anticipated the need for reform. With his silent example he showed how the ideal Church should have acted. Many of his wishes found themselves ingrained in the decrees of the council, in fact through Carafa who was made Cardinal and later became Pope, the ideas that were lived within the order of Theatines, were the seeds at the preparations for the council and came to fruition with the Council's recommendations for reform.

THE COUNCIL OF TRENT

The canons and decrees of the sacred and ecumenical Council of Trent:

Bull of Indiction

The First Session

Decree touching the opening of the Council

Indiction of the next session

The Second Session

Decree touching the manner of living, and other matters to be observed, during the Council

Indiction of the next session

The Third Session

Decree touching the symbol of faith

Indiction of the next session

The Fourth Session

Decree concerning canonical Scriptures

Decree concerning the edition, and the use, of the sacred books

Indiction of the next session

The Fifth Session

Decree concerning original sin

Decree on reformation

Indiction of the next session

The Sixth Session

Decree on justification

On justification

Decree on reformation

Indiction of the next session

The Seventh Session

Decree on the Sacraments

Decree on Reformation

Indiction of the next session

Bull with faculty to transfer the Council

The Eighth Session

Decree concerning the translation of the Council

The Ninth Session

Decree for the prorogation of the session

The Tenth Session

Decree for the prorogation of the session

Bull for the resumption of the Council of Trent, under the Sovereign Pontiff, Julius III

The Eleventh Session

Decree for resuming the Council

Indiction of the next session

The Twelfth Session

The Thirteenth Session

Decree concerning the most holy sacrament of the eucharist

On the most holy sacrament of the eucharist

Decree on reformation

Decree for postponing the definition of four articles touching the sacrament of the eucharist, and for giving a safe-conduct to Protestants

Safe-conduct granted to Protestants

The Fourteenth Session

On the most holy sacraments of penance and extreme unction

On the most holy sacrament of penance

On the sacrament of extreme unction

Decree on reformation

The Fifteenth Session

Decree for proroguing the session

Safe-conduct given to the Protestants

The Sixteenth Session

Decree for the suspension of the Council

Bull for the celebration of the Council of Trent, under the Sovereign Pontiff, Pius IV

The Seventeenth Session

Decree for celebrating the Council

Indiction of the next session

The Eighteenth Session

Decree on the choice of books, and for inviting all men on the public faith to the Council

Indiction of the next session

Safe-conduct granted to the German nation

Extension thereof to other nations

The Nineteenth Session

Decree for the prorogation of the session

The Twentieth Session

Decree for the prorogation of the session

The Twenty-First Session

On communion under both species, and on the communion of infants

Decree on reformation

Indiction of the next session

The Twenty-Second Session

Doctrine on the sacrifice of the mass

On the sacrifice of the mass

Decree concerning the things to be observed, and to be avoided, in the celebration of the mass

Decree on reformation

Decree touching the petition for the concession of the chalice

Indiction of the next session

The Twenty-Third Session

The true and catholic doctrine, touching the sacrament of order, decreed and published by the Holy Synod of Trent, in the seventh session, in condemnation of the errors of our time

On the sacrament of Holy orders

Decree on reformation

Indiction of the next session

The Twenty-Fourth Session

Doctrine on the sacrament of matrimony

On the sacrament of matrimony

Decree on the reformation of marriage

Decree on reformation

Indiction of the next session

The Twenty-Fifth Session

Decree concerning purgatory

On the invocation, veneration, and relics, or saints, and other sacred images

On regulars and nuns

Decree on reformation

Decree for continuing the session on the following day

Decree concerning indulgences

On choice of meats; on fasts, and festival days

On the index of books; on the catechism, breviary, and missal

On the place of ambassadors

On receiving and observing the decrees of the Council

On reciting, in session, the decrees of the Council under Paul III and Julius III

On the close of the Council, and on suing for confirmation from Our Most Holy Lord

Acclamations of the Fathers at the close of the Council

Confirmation of the Council

Bull of Our Most Holy Lord Pius IV, by the providence of God, Pope, touching the confirmation of the Ecumenical (and) General Council of Trent.