DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, has rounded on the Catholic hierarchy for what he believes is their lobbying of the British Government on behalf of republicans.
His attack came after the head of the Catholic Church, Archbishop Sean Brady, made a controversial speech criticising the pace of police reforms in Northern Ireland.
Speaking at the DUP annual conference in Belfast today, Mr Paisley said: "Now the Roman Church has been called in once again.
"The church sees the rise and renewal of resurrected traditional unionism as a menace to IRA/Sinn Fein, thus Archbishop Brady's intervention."
Dr Brady's criticisms came in a speech he delivered in London on Wednesday night entitled "Faith and Identity - A Catholic perspective on Northern Ireland".
The Archbishop, outlining what he regarded as the main issues blocking resolution, urged political parties to go the "extra mile" to bring about police reform.
He said: "I want to put on record recognition and appreciation of what has been achieved and pay tribute to politicians who have stayed with the process.
"But at the same time, maybe by naming the obstacle people will begin to accept and see where the responsibility lies for the removal of those."