Our “yes” to the Lord changes our lives forever. And what God has planned for us is greater and more beautiful than we could ever imagine. This truth convicted my heart even more after hearing the extraordinary story of Sister Clare Crockett. Born in Ireland with dreams of becoming a movie star, Sister Clare astonished the world with her complete abandonment to God’s will in her life.
So, who was she?
A millennial, Sister Clare was born in Derry, North Ireland, in 1982. Clare was a witness to much violence and strife, especially between Catholics and Protestants. Her mother even recalls ducking from bullets and distantly hearing bombs erupt. However, her family fondly recounts how her charming personality and big dreams allowed her to rise above the difficult circumstances. In the documentary All or Nothing, Clare’s biological sisters remember her acting talent, as she was often the lead in school plays. From a young age, Clare had insatiable dreams of being famous. At one point, she was even recruited to film a movie. By her teenage years, Clare was well on the way to stardom, riches, and fame.
This all changed on Good Friday in 2000. Clare arrived in Spain, on a trip she was invited to by a friend, to smoke and sunbathe. However, she quickly realized she may have been duped—the trip was actually a pilgrimage. The group was staying at the main house of the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother. Although Clare was uninterested at first, a friend eventually persuaded her to attend the liturgy of Good Friday. Clare resignedly sat in the last pew. However, everything shifted when she got up to reverence the cross. As she gently kissed the feet of Jesus, the realization that her sins nailed Him there came upon her. A religious sister came to her in the back pew to find Clare weeping and saying, “He died for me, He loves me!”
Although Clare had experienced a profound encounter with the Lord, like many of us, she reverted to her old life of partying and superficiality upon her return to Ireland. After becoming violently sick from a night of drinking, Clare once again heard the gentle voice of Jesus, and He enquired, “Why do you keep hurting Me?” After that, Clare was ready to give her all to the Lord.
She entered the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother at age 18, in 2001. Eventually, Sister Clare was sent out on different assignments. She had a noted zeal for the Eucharist and passion for the youth. The documentary of her life has many interviews with former students lovingly remembering the after-school Rosary club she began, or the ways she instilled in them a love of Our Eucharistic Lord.
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In 2010, Sister Clare of the Trinity and of the Heart of Mary made her final vows. She was the only one that year to profess final vows, causing the priest, Father Rafael, to say, “Your motto shall be this: Alone, for Christ alone.”
From there, Sister Clare was sent on many missions, evangelizing and loving anywhere from the youth in Guayaquil to the people in the small villages of Puyo. Guitar in hand and armed with her joyful voice, Sister Clare would make up songs with the children or teach music to those who surrounded her.
Sister Clare was so joyful and obedient in everything she did, that one fellow sister noted, “I still do not know what things she liked to do and what things were hard for her. I could never tell. And when I would ask her to do something, her answer was always, ‘Of course!’ And on top of that, she was always observing to see what was needed and so offered to help. At the end of that year I thought to myself, ‘I want to learn how to obey like her.’”
Sister Clare spent her last years in Playa Preita, Ecuador, where she and her other sisters taught in their Catholic school. On the day of her death, they had just finished a week of cleaning the entire school from the results of the recent floods. Layers of mud had been washed away, chairs and desks restored, and Sister Clare and a few young students had gathered to play guitar and say the Rosary. Sister Clare had previously said, “Why should I be afraid of death if I’m going to go with the One I have longed to be with my whole life?” A heavy quake began, and the school collapsed on Sister Clare and five other young girls. They later recovered their bodies amidst the rubble.
What can we learn from Sister Clare?
Sister Clare was on her way to fame and fortune early on in her life. However, once she encountered Love Himself, her entire life was changed. She had found the Person who could satisfy her every desire. In response to that call, she lived her life entirely for Christ.
Sister Clare’s life was modeled on total obedience and surrender to the Lord. May we, too, strive to surrender all for the One we love.
Sister Clare of the Trinity and of the Heart of Mary died at age 33, on April 16th, 2016.
*This information was derived from both the documentary All or Nothing: Sister Clare Crockett and the website www.sisterclare.com.
Maggie Agra is a junior Theology major at Franciscan University of Steubenville. She enjoys learning all things Theology, especially Theology of the Body. When not weightlifting or watercoloring, you can find her enjoying a cup of coffee with friends or trying something new and adventurous.
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