Priests are to make new appeals at Masses in every diocese for help in finding the remains of all nine secretly buried IRA murder victims.
Catholic Primate of All-Ireland Archbishop Seán Brady agreed to the appeals after being approached by the group heading up attempts to locate the so-called disappeared.
From Sunday, churchgoers will be urged to offer up any assistance that may end the agony for the families of those abducted and never seen alive again.
The appeal, which will last throughout January, comes after Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams called for all available information to be given to those trying to find the bodies.
Dr Brady said: "The families of the disappeared ask for nothing more than the return of the bodies of their loved ones so that they can bury them with dignity. I am happy to support the commission's appeal on their behalf."
The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains (ICLVR) wrote to him explaining how anyone who may be able assist can use a newly created confidential telephone number or PO box address.
The letter stressed how all details passed on will be treated as strictly confidential and may only be used to locate and identify the remains. With its work strictly non-political, the commission said its sole purpose was to return the victims' remains to their families so they can give them a Christian burial.
"This current effort is a real opportunity to end the harrowing ordeal for the families and with this in mind, the commission appeal is to anyone who has any information on any of the cases to contact them now using the confidential telephone line or Post Office box," the letter said.
Even by the often brutal standards employed by the IRA throughout years of violence, the secret murders were seen by many as a despicable low.
Those who the organisation admitted to killing and burying in unknown locations were Seamus Wright, Kevin McKee, Jean McConville, Columba McVeigh,Brendan Megraw, John McClory, Brian McKinney, Danny McIlhone and Eamon Molloy. On the morning the commission was set up in May 1999, the remains of Mr Molloy were left in a coffin in a graveyard in Faughart, Co Louth.
The remains of Mr McKinney and Mr McClory were later recovered at a site in Co Monaghan. The family of Mrs McConville endured 30 years of uncertainty before her remains were discovered on Shelling Hill beach in Co Louth in 2003.
- (PA)