The Catholic Primate of All Ireland, Archbishop Seán Brady, has called for humility and not humiliation as efforts to restore power-sharing devolution continue.
Archbishop Brady said an agreement based on an act seen as humiliation would not help the DUP and Sinn Féin work successfully together in government.
The request for photographic evidence of IRA decommissioning was a request for clarity, he claimed, but the request not to be humiliated was also reasonable.
"Humiliation is one thing, humility is something else, humility is built on truth," he said.
"The truth is that here we have parties who have received a mandate from the people and are offering to take on responsibilities for the future government of this country."
Archbishop Brady said an honest acceptance by all sides of what has happened in the past, and an appropriate taking of responsibility, would be a good basis on which to move forward.
He said the progress made so far had been extraordinary and proved the parties were able and willing to work together. But he admitted the breakdown, so short of the finishing line, was disappointing and evidence more trust was needed.
"The lesson may be that all parties who intend to go into Government together need not only to talk, but to listen to each other," he said. "In my opinion the request for photographs is really a request for greater clarity and certainty about decommissioning.
"The question is, if photographs are impossible, what is possible to provide the certainty required? On the other hand, the request not to be humiliated is also reasonable."
Archbishop Brady added that he hoped all sides could overcome their differences to work effectively and peacefully together and form a good government.
"The blame game leads nowhere," he warned. "Just as there is no monopoly of victims, there is no monopoly of blame."