Sister Clare takes first step towards sainthood

Sr Clare died in 2016

The sister of a Londonderry nun who died in an earthquake in South America eight years ago has spoken of her pride that she has taken the first step toward sainthood.

Sister Clare Crockett was 33 when she died after a school collapsed in Playa Prieta, Ecuador.

She has now been declared a Servant of God by the Catholic Church, the first step towards being officially recognised as a saint.

“We are very proud. We could never have imagined this happening," her sister Shauna Gill told BBC Radio Foyle.

Sr Clare and another Irish nun injured in the quake, Sr Thérèse Ryan from County Limerick, had been teaching guitar and singing with five young women postulants - who were entering the religious order - when the earthquake struck.

It is believed they became trapped on a stairwell as they ran out of the building.

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake killed at least 480 people, injured more than 4,000 and left 231 missing.

The title Servant of God means an investigation will now open into her life that could see her declared “venerable” and later beatified – the next steps towards sainthood.

An opening ceremony is due to take place in Madrid in January 2023.

Sr Clare Crockett had dreams of being an actor in her younger years

About 50 people – including 10 member of Sr Clare’s family – are planning to travel from Derry to Spain.

“It is a wee bit surreal, we have waited many years for this, for the decision that they are going to go for it,” Ms Gill said.

Sr Clare had never initially wanted to be a nun, her sister said, instead harbouring dreams of being an actress and of having her name in lights.

Instead she “gave up everything” to devote her life to the Church.

How does someone become a saint?

There are a few steps required on the path to sainthood in the Catholic Church.

1) Wait a while

The process to make someone a saint cannot normally start until at least five years after their death. But this waiting period can, in some circumstances, be waived by the Pope.

2) Become a Servant of God

An investigation can then be opened to see whether the person lived their life with sufficient holiness. Evidence is gathered, and if the case is accepted the individual is called a Servant of God.

3) Show proof of "heroic virtue"

The department that makes recommendations to the Pope on saints scrutinises the evidence.

If the case is approved, it is passed to the Pope who decides whether the person lived a life of "heroic virtue". If so, they can be called "venerable".

4) Verify a miracle

The next stage, beatification, requires a miracle to be attributed to prayers made to the individual after their death.

Incidents need to be "verified" by evidence before they are accepted. After beatification, the candidate is given the title "blessed".

5) Canonisation

This is the final step in declaring a deceased person a saint. To reach this stage, a second miracle normally needs to be attributed to prayers made to the candidate after they have been beatified.