A nun from Londonderry, who died in the 2016 earthquake in Ecuador, has been declared a Servant of God, marking the first step toward sainthood in the Catholic Church.

Sister Clare Crockett was known for her “overflowing joy,” which, according to the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother, inspired many to discover that “true happiness is found only in God.”

Sr. Clare dedicated her life to service in Spain, the United States, and Ecuador, where she engaged in pastoral care, hospital chaplaincy, teaching, and missionary outreach.

After her death, the sisters received thousands of messages from around the world attesting to her faithful service and calling for her beatification. The sisters noted that after prayerful consideration, they felt “a clear indication that the Lord was asking us to request the opening of the process of Sister Clare Crockett on the diocesan level.”

The Catholic Church will now begin an investigation into Sr. Clare’s life as part of the sainthood process.

The official opening of the cause for Sr. Clare Crockett’s beatification will take place on Sunday, 12th January 2025, at the Cathedral of Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.

The ceremony will be presided over by Antonio Prieto Lucena, Bishop of the Diocese of Alcalá de Henares.