The Bishop of Derry, Dr Seamus Hegarty, said "politics is not my mission, peace is" when offering to accept arms from the IRA as a mean of overcoming the decommissioning crisis and preventing the suspension of the institutions of the Belfast Agreement.
Dr Hegarty said he was prepared to act as "guarantor and supervisor" of the weapons for a 12-month period under the auspices of Gen. John de Chastelain's decommissioning body.
The offer was "primarily" directed at the IRA, although it was also open to loyalist paramilitaries if they were interested, he added.
His move was authorised by the Catholic Primate, Archbishop Sean Brady. There was considerable positive reaction to the statement although a number of anti-Belfast Agreement unionists said the proposal did not meet their demand for the destruction of IRA weapons.
Dr Hegarty said he was making "this once-off offer at this late hour" because he knew of no other acceptable alternative on the table. He added: "This offer was not easily made, but I consider it my moral responsibility to do everything I can to ensure that the progress and co-operation between our peoples is allowed to continue.
"I am prepared to act as guarantor and supervisor for the safekeeping of a quantity of weapons of war on the clear understanding that, under the auspices of Gen. de Chastelain, they will be put beyond use. I would do this for a 12-month period, starting immediately," he wrote in yesterday's Irish News.
Bishop Hegarty said his gesture was designed to "give the required time and provide the space" to assist Gen. de Chastelain in his "inalienable" decommissioning role and to allow the political process to be completed.
"The Church would pray that the work of General de Chastelain would be fruitful during this time, and that his work would enable all weapons of war to be taken out of life for ever. I shall not enter into political negotiations on the details or substance of this initiative," he continued.
"Politics is not my mission, peace is. This is a stand-alone offer, primarily but not exclusively directed at the republican movement."
He warned of "new difficulties" if the institutions were suspended. People needed hope at this time but that hope was quickly evaporating. "One lesson which we have learned from the past is that violence, in all its ugly expressions, is like a cancer in a community.
"Priests and ministers of religion know only too well from their pastoral work the destructive and the paralysing fall-out from violence. We do not want that experience again," he said.
Explaining why he was taking this initiative, Bishop Hegarty added: "Over the last year I have encouraged politicians and others to take risks for peace. Many have. I commend them for doing so. The time has now come for me to take my own risk for peace."
