Full recovery expected for Ambassador Kmiec

Sep 3, 2010 / 00:40 am

Reports from Malibu, California indicated on Wednesday that the U.S. Ambassador to Malta, Douglas Kmiec, was expected to make a full recovery from what are now described as “moderate” injuries from an August 25 car accident. Sister Mary Campbell was killed in the accident, which also seriously injured Monsignor John Sheridan.

Martin Sheen, a veteran Hollywood actor and member of Our Lady of Malibu Church (OLM), mourned the loss of Sister Campbell, who had served as the school's principal and as a teacher for more than two decades. The car containing Ambassador Kmiec, Sister Campbell and Monsignor Sheridan drifted off the road and crashed into a drainage ditch for unknown reasons.

Campbell was “one of the dearest people that you could ever know,” Sheen told Fox News, saying that her death was “heartbreaking.” Sheen was at his home parish this week, giving public support to the community at a book signing by Fr. Greg Boyle of Homeboy Industries.

Sister Campbell was a member of the Sisters of St. Louis for 52 years. Her religious community was celebrating its patron's feast day--St. Louis of France--on the day that Sister Campbell was killed. Along with Kmiec and Sheridan, she was returning from a Mass and luncheon commemorating the founding of the Sisters of St. Louis motherhouse 60 years ago.

A memorial Mass was held at the parish on Wednesday morning for Sr. Campbell.

Ninety-five-year-old Monsignor Sheridan, the pastor emeritus of Our Lady of Malibu, was reportedly in an induced coma following the accident. The monsignor is breathing with the aid of a ventilator, but is in “stable” condition.