Why couldn't the Catholic Church stop protestantism?
.Catholic AnswerBecause men have free will, this world and everyone in it are fallen, and the devil is the prince of this world. (See St. John 14:30, where Our Blessed Lord refers to the devil as the "prince of this world.") Our Blessed Lord died for all men, and established His Church to bring His Salvation, through the sacraments, to all men, BUT they have to choose it, they can always choose something else. Most of the people who are protestants today were raised in it, and were raised with a prejudice against the Catholic Church, which is how Satan wants it, he doesn't want them to convert and be saved. Our Blessed Lord said to let the tares grow along with the wheat, it won't be separated until the end.