Derry nun Sister Clare Crockett to be declared ‘Servant of God'

The late Derry nun Sister Clare Crockett is to be given the title of "Servant of God". A title afforded to a person whose life and works are being investigated as a candidate for sainthood by the Catholic Church and is the first step in the process.

Sister Clare’s Order, Home of the Mother, informed St Columba’s Church, Long Tower of the news.

Sharing the news on social media on Saturday, the Long Tower post read: "We have amazing news to share!

"Our dear Sister Clare Crockett is to be declared ‘Servant of God’ as her Cause for Beatification will be officially opened at a Ceremony in Alcalá de Henares Cathedral, Madrid, Spain on Sunday 12th January at 5.30pm."

"We will keep you posted!"

Sister Clare took the religious name of Sister Clare Maria of the Trinity and the Heart of Mary.

Aged just 33, Sister Clare died on April 16 2016, when an earthquake struck the home and school of Servant Sisters of the Mother in Playa Prieta, Ecuador, where Clare had been working for two years helping the poorer children of the region receive a higher standard of education. 

Her death touched thousands in Derry and across the world, with many visiting her grave in the City Cemetery which has become a place of pilgrimage.

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Sr Clare's legacy continues to resonate profoundly within the community and the annual retreats in April stand as a testament to this.