Free Republic

Fifty years ago, it was the Summer of Profumo in London, commencing with a ministerial resignation that brought down a Conservative Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, and eventually his successor, Lord Home, too. Half-a-century on, it remains Britain's most famous sex scandal, and sufficiently potent that later this year Andrew Lloyd Webber, Don Black and Christopher Hampton will unveil their West End musical on the subject. Here's what I had to say, with a personal reminiscence of the lady involved, in my obituary of John Profumo. This essay appears in my book Mark Steyn's Passing Parade:

...Fifty years after the Profumo affair erupted, Christine Keeler, now 71, has confessed she played a role in a high-placed spy ring... ...she says: 'However I dress it up, I was a spy and I am not proud of it. The truth is that I betrayed my country. ...The scandal hit the headlines after seven shots were fired at a house in a quiet Marylebone mews by a jilted boyfriend of Keeler in December 1962. It then emerged the then 19-year-old Keeler had been sleeping with former Secretary of State for War John Profumo, then 48, and a handsome Russian...

BALTIMORE (AP) -- A Roman Catholic priest from Pennsylvania died in a car accident while vacationing in Italy with another priest and the archbishop of Baltimore, both of whom were injured, church officials said Monday. The men were driving Saturday through the city of Terni, about 60 miles outside of Rome, when a car struck the passenger side of their vehicle, Baltimore archdiocese spokesman Sean Caine said. Father Bernard Quinn, 78, a retired priest from the Diocese of Harrisburg, was riding in the back seat and was killed, Caine said. Monsignor Thomas Smith, 75, a pastor of St. Joseph parish...

In the words of the old soul singers, all I have to say is "People, get ready." Several months ago, a source with excellent contacts told me that Cardinal Keeler of Baltimore was lobbying heavily for a papal visit to the Primatial See to mark its 200th anniversary and the rededication of the Basilica of the Assumption, the first American cathedral. As this was given to me "absolutely off-the-record" and simply as something to look out for, I could say nothing about it. But now Keeler is speaking, and I can break my own silence along with it.... In a...

Cardinal William H. Keeler, chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Committee for Pro-life Activities, criticized Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's announcement today that he will support federally funded stem cell research that requires destroying human embryos. Cardinal Keeler's statement follows. * * * * * "Today Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist announced he will support using federal funds to encourage the destruction of living human embryos for their stem cells. Despite the Senator's disclaimers to the contrary, this position is not 'pro-life.' "Especially disturbing is the Senator's insistence that human embryos unwanted by their own parents are owed 'the same dignity...

Md. cardinal to boycott Giuliani speech 5/18/2005, 11:11 p.m. ET The Associated Press BALTIMORE (AP) — Cardinal William Keeler will not attend a Jesuit university commencement because keynote speaker Rudolph Giuliani, a Catholic, supports abortion rights, an official said Wednesday. Giuliani, the Republican former New York City mayor mentioned as a possible candidate for president in 2008, is expected to award some 1,600 degrees and certificates at Friday's commencement at Loyola College of Maryland. He also is to receive an honorary degree. Friday's graduating class entered the school one week before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, said Loyola spokesman...

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A leading Catholic bishop who speaks on pro-life issues for the nation's Catholic leaders joined forces with Catholic leaders in Florida urging that Terri Schiavo not be starved to death next week. Cardinal William Keeler of Baltimore, representing the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued a statement Thursday calling for food and water to continue to be provided to Terri.Cardinal Keeler says he prays "that those who hold power over Terri Schindler Schiavo's fate will see that she 'continues to receive nourishment, comfort and loving care.'"He referred to comments from the Pope at a 2004 conference...