Supporters honor victim

By Katherine Vogt 
Denver Post Staff Writer 

Oct. 12 - LARAMIE - A grieving community banded together Sunday evening to pray for peace and voice outrage at what has been characterized as a hate crime. 

 Some wore armbands to symbolize peace, others covered their faces and more bowed their heads as students, well-wishers and community members attended a mass and candlelight vigil to honor their peer, Matthew Shepard. 

 The 21-year-old University of Wyoming student was found tied to a post Wednesday, severely beaten and left to die. Authorities have characterized the attack as a hate crime, saying Shepard was targeted because he is openly gay. 

 Shepard remined in critical condition at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins late Sunday. 

 At St. Paul's Newman Center, the university's Catholic parish here, the mood was somber as hundreds gathered for evening mass before the vigil. Fr. Roger Schmit, a monk of the Order of St. Benedict, compared Shepard to Jesus. Both stood for peace. Both were beaten and left tied to a post. 

 "In light of what happened last week, we need to ask ourselves a question," Schmit said. "How do we really feel toward our brothers and sisters who are gay and lesbian?"

 As some parishioners dabbed their eyes, Schmit asked his audience to search themselves and examine their actions and words to see if they are "sowing the seeds of hatred." "All across our country, people are forming an impression of us in Laramie," Schmit said. "The sin that was perpetrated last week reflects on all of us." Schmit said that forgiveness must be a part of the healing process and led a prayer for Shepard, his family, the suspects and the community. 

 Indeed, signs of the community's outrage at the crime could be found all around town Sunday. A sign that read "Hate is not a Wyoming value" draped a downtown building. 

 Some citizens sported armbands, thousands of which had been distributed by a student group. 

 The green circles of the bands were meant to symbolize peace, and a yellow background to represent an intolerance of hate. A flier urged people to wear the bands as "a display of your intolerance of this disgusting, abhorrent act of incivility." University of Wyoming president Philip DuBois and other officials were to speak at the vigil. 

Poudre Valley Hospital is providing updates on Shepard's condition on its Web site, http://www.pvhs.org, and on a recording at (970) 495-7032. 

 Also set up is the Benefit Fund for Matthew Shepard, First National Bank of Fort Collins, P.O. Box 578, Fort Collins 80522; Account No. 1926083. Shepard's family has said through hospital spokesmen that money donated to the fund will be used for a cause or causes Shepard believes in. The beneficiaries have not been chosen. 

 And, the hospital has set up an e-mail address so that people may send messages to Shepard and his family: mshepard@libra.pvh.org. The site already has received hundreds of messages.