Sister Clare Crockett’s Sainthood Process Initiated

The sister of a nun from Londonderry, who passed away in a South American earthquake eight years prior, has expressed her pride regarding the commencement of her sister’s journey towards sainthood. Sister Clare Crockett was 33 years old at the time of her death, which occurred following the collapse of a school building in Playa Prieta, Ecuador. The Catholic Church has now designated her a Servant of God, marking the initial phase in the formal process of becoming recognised as a saint. Her sister, Shauna Gill, conveyed to BBC Radio Foyle, “We are very proud. We could never have imagined this happening.” When the earthquake occurred, Sr Clare, along with Sr Thérèse Ryan, another Irish nun from County Limerick who was injured in the tremor, had been instructing five young women postulants – individuals joining the religious order – in guitar and singing. It is thought that they became trapped on a stairwell while attempting to evacuate the structure. The earthquake, measuring 7.8 in magnitude, resulted in the deaths of at least 480 individuals, injured over 4,000, and left 231 people unaccounted for. The designation “Servant of God” signifies the initiation of an inquiry into her life, which could potentially lead to her being declared “venerable” and subsequently beatified – these being the subsequent stages on the path to sainthood. An inaugural ceremony is scheduled to be held in Madrid during January 2023. Approximately 50 individuals, among them 10 members of Sr Clare’s family, intend to journey from Derry to Spain. Ms Gill remarked, “It is a wee bit surreal, we have waited many years for this, for the decision that they are going to go for it.” Her sister stated that Sr Clare had not initially desired to become a nun, instead cherishing aspirations of becoming an actress and achieving fame. However, she “gave up everything” to dedicate her existence to the Church. The Catholic Church’s process for sainthood involves several distinct stages. 1) Initial Waiting Period Typically, the canonisation process cannot commence until a minimum of five years following the individual’s death. Nevertheless, this waiting period may, under specific conditions, be waived by the Pope. 2) Designation as a Servant of God Following this, an inquiry can be initiated to ascertain if the person led a life of adequate holiness. Evidence is collected, and if the merits of the case are acknowledged, the individual receives the title of Servant of God. 3) Demonstration of “Heroic Virtue” The ecclesiastical department responsible for advising the Pope on sainthood candidates meticulously examines the gathered evidence. Should the case receive approval, it is then presented to the Pope, who determines if the individual exhibited a life of “heroic virtue.” If this is affirmed, they may be referred to as “venerable.” 4) Verification of a Miracle The subsequent phase, beatification, necessitates that a miracle be ascribed to supplications directed to the individual following their demise. Such occurrences must be “verified” through evidence before they are officially recognised. Upon beatification, the candidate is bestowed the title “blessed.” 5) Canonisation This represents the ultimate stage in the declaration of a deceased person as a saint. To attain this point, a second miracle is typically required to be attributed to prayers offered to the candidate subsequent to their beatification.