Family ‘proud’ as Derry nun moves forward on path to sainthood

By Cillian Sherlock (PA)

A nun from Northern Ireland has moved a step closer to sainthood after a ceremony in Spain.

Clare Crockett, 33, from Londonderry, was killed in an earthquake in Ecuador in April 2016.

The building where she had been teaching music collapsed.

Ms Crockett, from Brandywell, was a larger-than-life character who had been an actress before choosing the religious life.

She turned down a chance to present on children’s TV channel Nickelodeon to become a nun.

She said friends were in disbelief when she declared she was going to be a nun while holding a “beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other”.

She ultimately took her Holy Orders with the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother order.

Her motto in life was “all or nothing” and she has previously been associated with fertility miracles.

The opening of the cause for the beatification of Sister Clare took place in the Cathedral of Alcala de Henares in Madrid on Sunday.

The ceremony is the first step towards sainthood.

Ms Crockett’s sister Shauna Gill told the PA news agency that more than 100 people travelled to Madrid for the event, which was livestreamed online and at Brunswick Moviebowl in Derry.

She said the group includes friends, family, priests and Derry Bishop Donal McKeown, adding: “There’s people we’ve never met before here too so it’s a great experience.”

Ms Gill said the family is “very proud and excited”.

She said the ceremony will see her sister declared as a “servant of God”.

“There’s four steps to becoming a saint, so this is the first one.

“Clare’s life will be investigated before we can move on.

“No one knows how long it can take – 10 years, 20 years, two years, it depends on how fast things move.

“Nobody has been through this in our lifetime, so nobody knows what to expect or what’s going to happen.”

Ms Gill said about 1,000 people attended the ceremony.

Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland Eamon Martin said in a statement that Sr Clare’s story is an “inspiration for young people”, adding that it was a “very special day” for her family and the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother order.

Also speaking to PA, the Bishop of Derry said there had been a “burgeoning of awareness” about Sr Clare around the world in the years after her death.

Aside from the claims of miracles which will be investigated as part of the process, Mr McKeown said her story shows how someone’s life can change “so radically and beautifully”.

Sr Clare was a self-confessed party girl earlier in her life and had ambitions to become a famous actress, before changing direction after having a religious experience during a retreat around Good Friday in 2000.

Mr McKeown added: “She ended up being famous after her death.”

The bishop said there was a party atmosphere among the group in Madrid, adding: “The people of Derry are so proud of her. There’s a group of people from all ages and backgrounds have travelled from all over.”

He said it was a beautiful day around the Cathedral of Alcala de Henares, and that the occasion was an opportunity to “celebrate something beautiful” in a challenging time.

Becoming a Servant of God is the first of four steps, before being designated “venerable”, “blessed” and finally a “saint”.

If all those steps are passed, he said Sr Clare would be the first saint for the region in the 21st century.

Mr McKeown said Sr Clare could be seen as a role model for young people, adding: “It is a very striking example of someone who had a conversion experience and dedicated their life to Jesus.”

A large crowd gathered for opening of the cause of beatification of Sr Clare Crockett at the Cathedral of Alcala de Henares in Madrid (Photo by PA)