Love Without Limits: Sister Clare Crockett
A Memorable Summer
In 2013, I was blessed to spend two weeks with Sister Clare Crockett on a mission trip to Ecuador. I’ll never forget how she made us laugh and feel at ease, how passionately she played her guitar and sang, and—most of all—her deep desire to help us grow in our relationship with God.
She was relatable, intentional, and treated each person she met with genuine care. Her energetic joy made holiness truly attractive.
From Sin to Surrender
Born in Northern Ireland in 1982, Clare Crockett was talented, outgoing, and dreamed of becoming a movie star. As a teenager, she acted for a popular British TV channel, and even Nickelodeon took an interest in her. She loved the spotlight, having boyfriends, partying, drinking, and smoking.
At 17, Clare eagerly accepted a friend’s invitation for a free trip to Spain, expecting a vacation filled with beach days and parties. Instead, she found herself at a 10-day Holy Week retreat.
On Good Friday, she watched as people approached a large crucifix, genuflected, and kissed Jesus' feet. When her turn came, she did the same—and was forever impacted.
In that moment, she felt an overwhelming certainty: out of love, Jesus had died to redeem her from sin. This conviction filled her with sorrow and an unshakable desire to do something for the One who gave His life for her.
Returning home, Clare struggled to leave behind her old life of acting, partying, and worldly success. The more she clung to these fleeting pleasures, the emptier she felt. She later admitted that she lacked the strength to let go because she never asked God for help.
But the Lord continued to pursue her. One night, while sick in the bathroom from drinking too much, she felt Jesus say to her:
Why do you keep hurting me?
This pierced her heart. She realized that without God, her life had no true meaning. She didn’t want to keep hurting Him and couldn't ignore her calling any longer. At just 18 years old, she surrendered everything and joined the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother—a religious community devoted to Jesus in the Eucharist, His Mother Mary, and youth evangelization.
A Heart Transformed
When Sister Clare first entered religious life, she struggled with manual labor and still craved attention. But over time, her love for God deepened, and she matured. As her relationship with Him grew, so did her transformation.
She became selfless and humble—using her talents not for recognition but to glorify God and serve others. She went out of her way to make people feel seen, loved, and valued.
With contagious enthusiasm, she shared her faith, served the poor, and taught in schools—inspiring countless people to embrace holiness. Even the most rebellious students were drawn to her, and many changed their lives because of her friendship, encouragement, and witness.
Despite exhaustion, Sister Clare joyfully gave of herself. After long days of teaching, she would still choose to run around and play with children in the sweltering heat.
Few knew she suffered from frequent migraines because she never complained or let the pain and nausea diminish her joy. She relied on God's grace and embraced suffering with patience.
No matter how far someone was from the faith, Sister Clare had profound hope in their conversion. People sought her guidance because they were able to speak openly with her without feeling judged.
She corrected with firmness but with great love—always emphasizing that the world will never satisfy and that the most important thing in life is to do God's will.
Whenever someone was struggling, she would remind them that every hardship we face is for the salvation of our souls and that we can offer up our suffering for the sake of others.
No task was too small, no person unimportant—Sister Clare gave her all, every single day.
A Holy Death
In April 2016, while serving in Playa Prieta, Ecuador, a devastating earthquake struck. The school where she and five other young women were collapsed, taking their lives.
Just hours before, Sister Clare had shared that she was not afraid of death—that she was ready to meet God. A survivor recalled that the last thing they heard before the earthquake was Sister Clare playing guitar and singing the song:
I Prefer Paradise.
Her Lasting Legacy
Sister Clare’s life—and even her passing—was a testimony to her deepest desire: eternal union with God. Her story is a powerful witness to what happens when we surrender everything to Him. Sister Clare relied on God through constant prayer and frequently receiving the sacraments. This spiritual foundation provided an abundance of grace and enabled her to perform acts of kindness and love with great joy.
She will always be remembered for her vibrant faith, willingness to serve, exuberant joy, and her zeal for bringing souls closer to God. Her life continues to inspire people worldwide, and she is now recognized as a Servant of God, the first step in the process toward becoming a canonized saint.
Joy in Surrender
Sister Clare was a beautiful example of magnanimity—a virtue that enables a person to perform outstanding and morally good actions, not for attention but out of love for God and others. The more we consistently do what is right, the more we grow in virtue. Over time, this makes it easier to joyfully choose good, true, and loving actions—even in very difficult or stressful circumstances.
To discern what is truly good, we must cultivate a deep relationship with God, who is the very source of all goodness. This requires offering Him a heart that is pure and free from worldly attachments. It also means trusting Him completely and following His ways rather than relying on our own desires or understanding. When we come to truly know God, we are able to love Him fully—with all our heart, mind, and strength. Sister Clare understood that true joy does not come from wealth or success but from a life devoted to loving God and others. This allows us to discover a peace, fulfillment, and freedom that surpass anything this world can offer.
Something motherhood has revealed to me is the challenge of showing love when I don’t feel well. Before having children, I could rest and recover in peace, but as a mother, there are no days off. Even when utterly exhausted or suffering through the worst morning sickness, we are called to give of ourselves with patience, gentleness, and kindness. In those difficult moments, it is easy to let frustration take over, but Sister Clare’s example has been a powerful reminder for me. Despite battling severe migraines and nausea, she remained incredibly charitable by relying completely on God. Her witness gives me hope that, with His grace, I can strive to do the same.
In a world that often prioritizes social validation, trends, and fleeting pleasures, it can be tempting to conform to its values. However, a truly magnanimous woman seeks to do God’s will, regardless of how she may be perceived by others. Virtues work together to build resilience against the pressures of a culture that strays far from faith, goodness, and truth.
Sister Clare lived by the motto, "All or Nothing." May her life serve as an inspiration for us to use every gift we have been given to love God with our whole being and to share His love with every person we encounter.
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” —1 Peter 4:10
Learn More About Sister Clare
Read her full story: https://www.sisterclare.com/en/her-life/biography
Watch her inspiring documentary:
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