DENVER — One might expect Catholic politicians, in need of secular support, would distance themselves from bishops and priests while the mainstream press feeds at the trough of the clergy sex scandal.

Not Gov. Bill Owens.

Instead, the Colorado Republican joined 53 other prominent Colorado residents in taking a bold and public stand in support of their clergy. Together, they donated money and bought a $20,000 full page ad in the April 7 Denver Post that said, in part:

“We love our Church, we respect our priests, we support our bishops. The failures of the few, no matter how serious, cannot be an excuse for demeaning or suspecting all.”

Owens told the Register that he feels extreme compassion for victims of sexual abuse by priests. However, he also feels compassion for priests who face negative stereotypes because of the actions of a few.

“I'm so proud of what my Church has meant to the world, that any blemish on that record is of the deepest concern to me,” Owens said.

Owens said he hopes the statement published in Denver might inspire others throughout the United States to publicly support the Church, and build it up in a time of crisis.

“This is a very appropriate time to thank our priests for all that they do for us,” Owens said. “It's easy to be supportive during good times, but it's most essential during the tough times. I hope people do this everywhere, whether by the means we chose here in Denver, or by some other means. By whatever means, Catholics need to rally behind their church because of all the good it represents.”

Signers of the Denver statement included several nationally prominent Coloradans, including Peter and Marilyn Coors, of the Coors Brewing Company; former Denver Bronco tight end Haven Moses and his wife, Joyce; Congressman Bob Schaffer and his wife, Maureen; and Denver Broncos owners Pat and Annabelle Bowlen.

John Saeman, former president and CEO of Daniels Communications Companies, thought up the idea and carried it out.

Role Models

Haven Moses said he signed the letter because priests provided him a role model while growing up in the tough neighborhoods of south central Los Angeles. He attended 12 years of Catholic schools, and said priests in the school and his parish made him a better person. All of his five siblings, in fact, are inner city success stories largely because of the influence of priests and nuns, Moses said.

“They prepared me for the world,” said the former NFL star. “They represented to me how important faith is. The priests I was exposed to lived like Christ in every aspect of their lives. They were in constant communication with Christ.”

Gov. Owens said that that once he read the text for the proposed ad there was no question, for even a moment, that he not sign and defend it. A member of St. Michael's Catholic Church in Aurora, Colo., Owens has long been an outspoken advocate of the Church and a good friend to Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput and other Colorado bishops.

He spoke with five bishops April 19, at the funeral for former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Byron White.

“I've had several priests thank me for signing this expression of support, and tell me it's particularly appreciated now in light of everything that's being reported,” Gov. Owens said. “Clergy are feeling pressure, because while these offenses have been committed by a very small number of priests — relative to the almost 100,000 who have been priests while all of this was going on — it unfairly reflects on all of them and they are definitely feeling it.”

Moses says it's difficult, in light of the heavy media attention on priest sex scandals, for the public not to view priests with suspicion.

“People still respect the collar, and I think the reputation will be restored,” Moses said. “But right now it's hard for some people not to look at any priest without some level of suspicion, even though it's only a very small percentage of priests who comprise this scandal. It's similar to a phenomenon taking place in our community of color right now. After Sept. 11, people are having a hard time not acting suspicious toward someone who wears a turban, even though it's not a rational response.”

Before seeking signers for the statement, the text was run by Archbishop Chaput for his approval. Within hours, an idea had turned into an official statement with the arch-bishop's blessing, private donations to pay for ad space and a growing list of prominent signers.

“It was nothing short of a miracle,” said Peter Droege, a former editor of Denver's archdiocesan newspaper who served as Saeman's assistant for the campaign.

Positive Response

Owens says he has received no criticism personally for signing the ad, adding that press coverage has generally been favorable.

“I have had a lot of positive response from Catholics, and one positive comment from a non-Catholic,” Owens said. “I've had six or eight people comment on it in the past week, and when you're governor that's a lot of feedback because you live in this cocoon and people are reluctant to mention things to you.”

Not everyone, however, was pleased with the statement and the governor's support of it. The Rev. Bill Kirton, president of the Interfaith Alliance of Denver, spoke out publicly, saying: “It seems like the politicization of religion. Bill Owens has been very outspoken in his support of government help for sectarian, faith-based purposes.”

Kirton explained that he's worried about Owens and other “conservatives” from various Christian denominations trying to influence public policy, thus mixing politics and religion.

Mostly, however, the ad has led to new stories throughout Colorado about the prominent expression of support for clergy. Molly Moore, a signer of the statement and the wife of a leading Denver investment banker, was interviewed on Denver's Channel 4 News.

“The reporter was very fair and balanced, and I was grateful for the opportunity to express my love for the Church and all that my faith means to me,” Moore said.

Saeman said the vast majority of comments he has received have been positive, but even most of the negative feedback involved some “deep concern for the Catholic Church.”

Owens says he hopes Church officials will do whatever is necessary to prevent future scandals involving inappropriate actions by priests. But he has no advice regarding how the U.S. bishops and Pope John Paul II should manage the scandal.

“I've been asked that by the secular press, and I really don't have anything to offer,” Owens said. “I know how to run Colorado, but I'm not in a position to give the Vatican any advice at this point in time. I don't want to appear to be second-guessing or pre-judging those who are best positioned to handle this.”

Wayne Laugesen writes from Boulder, Colorado.