BURLINGTON, Colo. -- State and federal agents are searching for whomever set fire to a church in Burlington and destroyed the church's most sacred items.

The fire was discovered Friday morning before any extensive damage was done, but the fire is taking a toll on church members.

"It just shocked us all terribly. We just couldn't imagine anything like this could happen here," said parishioner Gerry Dvorak.

Although St. Catherine's Catholic Church is still standing, the sanctuary is blackened and desecrated, destroyed by heat and smoke. The pews so charred that Sunday services were moved to Stratton.

Investigators said that as well as igniting the blaze, the arsonist also ransacked the church. Priestly vestments and other religious objects were burned or broken. All the icons depicting signs of the cross were ripped off the walls, shattered into pieces. Various statues of religious figures were burned or vandalized.

The Dvoraks, longtime members of the church, said that their granddaughter was in the confirmation class set to receive that sacrament in just a few months, but now the ceremony may be held elsewhere because it may be months before the building can be used again.

"It's very personal because we've worked so hard to build the church and most of the things in it were donated by parishioners ... it really hits you," Dvorak said.

St. Catherine's priest, Father Frank Quezada, said what occurred is more than a hate crime. He said the vandalism was the work of someone with knowledge of the Catholic church because he or she targeted the most religious items inside the church but didn't steal other items such as a computer or television.