Question

How did the Catholic Church try to stop the spread of Protestantism

Answer 1

Will ,The Church responded to the Protestant Rebellion by the excommunication those who were the insisted on the prpagating heretical views after restaring  warnings. 
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Answer 2

  The Church responded to the Protestant Rebellion by excommunication those who insisted on prpagating heretical views after repeated warnings. There was no Protestant Reformation. The Catholic Church was in need of certain reform at that time, a fact recognized by many within the Church. Those who remained faithful to God's Church worked from within brought about the needed reform. Those who joined the rebellion and left God's Church had nothing to do with the subsequent reform.