A TOTAL cessation of violence would create the climate where negotiations could take place over contentious parades and other issues, the Primate, Archbishop Sean Brady, told St Patrick's Day Mass goers in Armagh.
Dr Brady, delivering his first saint's day message since becoming head of the church, said no one could really claim to be for peace in Northern Ireland and rationalise or justify the use of force to pursue political ends.
"I hope the IRA will come to see this and restore the ceasefire" he declared.
The archbishop said Patrick, the apostle of reconciliation would certainly be working to reconcile conflicts and reduce tensions. He said Patrick never approved of violence and had condemned it in the strongest terms.
"As the advent of another marching season begins to cast its long shadow over all our lives I imagine Patrick would be advising us to draw hope from what happened in Derry last year," he said. "There the peacemakers simply refused to give up or lose heart. Those efforts bore fruit and an accommodation was reached.
"There is hope that this year a similar process of negotiations at local level will produce success in other places where parades are contentious.
"Nobody should fear taking part in negotiations. Nobody should have to negotiate out of fear".
The Archbishop called for earnest prayers that an accommodation may be reached and the trauma of last year avoided.