Sister Clare Crockett was a young religious sister who died in 2016 at the age of 34 in an earthquake in Ecuador that left hundreds dead. On Nov. 4, the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother, her religious community, announced the beginning of her cause for beatification.
But just who is Sister Clare Crockett? From Catholic News Agency, here are seven things to know about the young sister who left a lasting impact on people around the world:
- Crockett was born on Nov. 14, 1982, in Derry, Northern Ireland. She was a fun-loving teenager and quickly grabbed the attention of television producers. At the age of 15, she was hired to host a show on the British network Channel 4 and at 17 she caught the attention of Nickelodeon. By 18, she was living a life of partying and alcohol.
- In 2000, a friend of Crockett invited her on a free trip to Spain. Thinking it was going to be a trip filled with parties and time spent on the beach, Crockett went. However, it ended up being a 10-day, Holy Week retreat run by the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother, a community founded in 1982 with a focus on the Eucharist, Marian spirituality, and outreach to youth. It was here that Crockett experienced a life-changing conversion.
It was Good Friday and Crockett began to witness the faithful approach Jesus on the cross, genuflect, and kiss his feet. Crockett had never seen anything like this before so she followed along. When it was her turn, she went up, kissed Jesus’ feet, and left forever changed.
“That simple event lasted only 10 seconds. To kiss the cross — something that seemed so insignificant — had such a strong impact on me,” she wrote in her personal testimony. “I do not know how to explain exactly what happened,” she added. “I did not see the choirs of angels or a white dove come down from the ceiling and descend on me, but I had the certainty that the Lord was on the cross, for me.”
“And along with that conviction, I felt a great sorrow, similar to what I had experienced when I was little and prayed the Stations of the Cross. When I returned to my pew, I already had imprinted in me something that was not there before. I had to do something for him who had given his life for me.” - In 2001, just a year after her conversion, Crockett gave her life to God as a candidate in the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother. She took her first vows on Feb. 18, 2006, and her final vows on Sept. 8, 2010.
- Crockett’s first assignment was at the community at Belmonte in Cuenca, Spain. There she served in a home for girls that came from families dealing with various difficult circumstances.
- In October 2012, Crockett received a new assignment that took her to Ecuador. Here she had several assignments taking her to different areas of the country evangelizing the youth. The sisters gave classes in schools in poor areas and hosted retreats and summer camps. They also tended to the poor, bringing them not only the word of God but also food baskets, medicine, and other material items and resources.
- Crockett is remembered by many as always carrying her guitar, which was her great companion in evangelization. She always sang, even to the point of losing her voice and despite heat, fatigue, and suffering from migraines. Sisters from her order also remember her great sense of humor and giving of herself completely to others.
- On April 16, 2016, a magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck the Ecuadorian province of Manabí, killing at least 600 people, including Crockett. Her story spread around the world, touching the lives of many, and on Nov. 4, her cause for beatification was officially announced.
