GOLDEN, Colo. -- Donations are pouring in at the Mother Cabrini Shrine after vandals broke into the site and damaged several statues on the property.

Officials said the vandalism happened in the middle of the night, about a week ago. Last Monday morning, a caretaker discovered the damage, which included a Jesus statue with a broken nose, a statue of Our Lady of Grace missing most of its head, and a Mother Cabrini statue with a hole punched through its face.

"This is like, over-the-top bad. I just can't think of anybody who would do this," said visitor Austin Jetton.

A week after the crime, the destructive images still took visitors by surprise.

"This is such a sacred and peaceful place. It's just really heartbreaking," visitor Liz Runberg said.

The administrative director of the shrine said the entire property is surrounded by barbed-wire fence. He said it appeared the criminals somehow managed to damage the fence and climb over it.

Jefferson County Sheriff's deputies said they were investigating, but the vandals didn't leave behind any clues and they still don't have any leads.

"They (were) seen by somebody. Somebody knows about this," said visitor Jonathan Noller.

About 200,000 visitors from around the world visit the shrine each year, according to Mother Cabrini Shrine Administrative Director Jeff Lewis. The Shrine survives solely on donations and damage estimates are in the thousands, he said.

"The Cabrini statue in the grotto is very rare, and it's going to be very hard to replace that," he said.

However, he said he was hopeful because of community generosity and support.

"I was in New York for three days, and I kept getting calls from the staff here. They kept calling and saying, 'We're getting donations and we're getting people who can install cameras and flood lights.' All kinds of stuff," said Lewis.

Lewis said they even got a call from an artist in Illinois, offering to help.

"You know, it's just really neat to see people step up and say, 'This is what I can do. This is what I can contribute because the shrine is important to me,'" he said.

Lewis said they planned to use those donations to make repairs or replace the statues and to install a surveillance system.

"Our number one concern is the safety and security of the shrine grounds and property. We want everyone who comes to the shrine to feel embraced and find comfort knowing that this is a safe place to come for prayer and worship," he said.

Additional Resource:

• To donate to the Mother Cabrini shrine, go to MotherCabriniShrine.org