ProLifeSearch.com

Petition asks bishops to hold politicians accountable

2007-02-02T16:00:00.000-06:00

American Life League has launched a public petition campaign asking the U.S. Catholic bishops to uphold the Church's stance on the sanctity of human life by enforcing Canon Law 915. "The Church's teachings on the incompatibility of supporting abortion and receiving Holy Communion are clear and concise," said Judie Brown, president of American Life League. "Denial of Communion is not a sanction or a punishment; it is in fact a form of pastoral correction designed to show that an individual is out of communion with the Body of Christ."

Today's petition is just the latest step in encouraging Church officials to defend Canon Law 915, which states that those who "obstinately persist in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to communion." The petition is available online at www.CatholicCrusade.com.

"There is absolutely no reason for Catholics to be divided on this issue," said Mrs. Brown. "The Church's teachings are clear. Abortion is murder and anyone who supports it should not scandalize the Body and Blood of Christ by receiving Holy Communion in the Catholic Church."

Since the Crusade for the Defense of Our Catholic Church's launch in January 2003, it has conducted numerous ad campaigns, organized protests, and activated Catholics across the country. The program is designed to encourage Catholic bishops to act on this grave matter. Signed copies of the most recent petition will be presented to the bishops at their semi-annual meeting in June.

"Catholics in the public eye have a tremendous opportunity to defend the sanctity of each and every human being's life," said Mrs. Brown. "It's our hope that, with the guidance of the bishops, these Catholics will understand this truth and use their positions to protect innocent preborn babies."

Schiavo Family Will Join March for Life

2007-01-17T10:04:00.000-06:00

The brother and sister of Terri Schindler-Schiavo plan to participate in the annual March for Life in support of medically vulnerable people who cannot speak for themselves.

Bobby Schindler, Terri’s brother, said Terri’s court-ordered death by dehydration and starvation nearly 22 months ago highlighted the need to bring attention to the need to protect all stages of life.

"It’s not just about abortion, anymore," Bobby Schindler said. "The culture of death in our nation is threatening the lives of people like my sister through euthanasia.

"It is happening quietly every day in nursing homes, hospitals and hospices," he added. "People need to be aware that this could touch a member of their family at any time."

Suzanne Schindler-Vitadamo, Terri’s sister, said the Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation works to assist medically vulnerable patients and families that face situations similar to Terri.

"We deal with cases all the time where families are desperately seeking someone -- anyone -- who can help them deal with medical professionals and facilities that are refusing to provide life-sustaining treatment for their loved ones," Suzanne Schindler-Vitadamo said. "It is absolutely frightening how often this is happening. Families need somewhere to turn."

The Schindlers will be at the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 22, and spend the weekend prior to the March speaking out in defense of life at various events.

http://www.citizenlink.org:80/CLBriefs/A000003634.cfm

Second Annual Conference of Pro-Life Bloggers

2007-01-10T09:06:00.000-06:00

Blogs4Life will convene their Second Annual Conference of Pro-Life Bloggers on January 22, 2007 in Wshington, DC. Located just a few blocks from the March for Life, they are being hosted the Family Research Council. They site as speakers, the following well-known and influential pro-life leaders:

Bobby Schindler (Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation)
Jill Stanek (noted pro-life leader/blogger and WorldNetDaily Columnist)
Joe Scheidler (Founder, Pro-Life Action League)
Ramesh Ponnuru (author of the Party of Death, National Review Online Editor)

In addition, Senator Sam Brownback, Kansas Republican is scheduled to personally address the conference.

Please register at the www.blogs4life.com if you are able to attend. If you are unable to attend, but wish to help, they would appreciate your help in promoting the event via a post or a link.

May God bless these good people in their defense of the Culture of Life!

Why the Switch?

2007-01-04T12:43:00.000-06:00

Many of you have noticed that ProLifeSearch.com is once again powered by Google. Some of you are pretty excited by that. Others. . . not so much.

Let me explain why we had to make the switch. I’m going to get a little detailed, but want to answer all your questions about this in one place, so I think it’s worth the time to get it all down here.

The original business model for ProLifeSearch was to have a search engine that created revenue from the “pay-per-click” ads served up by Google. You see, every time someone clicks on one of those ads, Google gets paid. It’s how they make over $6 Billion per year.

Well, the idea was for us to share the revenue from those Google ads by serving them up on ProLifeSearch.com and using that revenue to make donations to Pro-Life charities. And better still, Google gave us the search results for free.

Not that we are so clever to come up with this…in fact, Google has a program (that almost anyone can be part of) to share revenue in this way with many websites.

There was a hidden problem in using this program to generate donations for pro-life charities that we didn’t know about at the start of our effort, though:

Google has a prohibition against providing incentives to site users. For instance, if we were to send checks in the mail to our users as an incentive to keep using our site, Google would bar us from using their ads.

Well, Google decided—because we provide donations from our revenue—we were an incentive site. If we kept the revenue it would be ok, but because we encourage use of our site so we can provide donations to pro-life charities, they stopped serving ads on our search results, thereby stopping our revenue sharing.
To “solve” this not-so-little problem, Joe and I spent a great deal of money getting a new search engine provider that we could control 100% (As we discovered in the first six months of 2006, that’s a lot harder than one would think).

We found that solution with the “meta-search” engine that, until recently, was powering ProLifeSearch.

However, several problems arose.

The first big one was that the new search engine was MUCH slower than Google. And although the results were often more relevant, there was less of them. Because of this, over 35% of our members left ProLifeSearch and started searching on the regular Google site. That was too much of a mass exodus to ignore.

Second, we were charged money for the “meta search” results. They were not free like Google.

Third, the only way we could produce revenue for donations was to have sponsors step forward from the pro-life community to purchase ads on our site. Thankfully, many sponsors have done this in a wonderful spirit in support of Life. However, the ad revenue was barely enough to cover the site’s search engine expenses and still make very limited donations.

As a result, Joe and I had to continue to put our own money into ProLifeSearch, as we have done since October 2005. Quite frankly, that can’t continue forever. And it certainly would not yield the donation amounts we hope to achieve by using the Internet to provide technology tools to all online pro-life users over time.

So, Joe and I had to put our thinking caps on and totally re-designed the business model for ProLifeSearch. Of course, part of that is continuing with our sponsors and product offerings.

But we also have what we believe is an excellent long-term solution which we will be rolling out over the next 3 or 4 months. The first step in this new plan was to get back to a search solution that would meet everyone’s search needs and also be free. We searched and searched for someone else, but at the end of the day that solution is still Google.

Some people are upset by this and object to Google for various reasons. What I can tell you is that your use of ProLifeSearch is SUPPORTING life. Take comfort in that fact that we’re using Google’s search results for GOOD.

You will see some more changes over the next few months that Joe and I believe will be very exciting for you. Many of these changes are direct results of suggestions made by our members. We want to continue to make this YOUR site while remaining financially stable enough to support life in a huge way. So stay tuned.

Thank you for all the support you’ve given in support of life and this site so far. Joe and I sincerely appreciate all of you and the efforts (and sometimes sacrifices) many of you have made to make ProLifeSearch a success. Know that we are not only committed to life, but also committed to you.

Thanks and God Bless.

- Jack

Dr. Rice finds concern in "Pro-Life" Abortion Laws

2006-12-18T12:17:00.000-06:00

If Roe is Overturned our Pro-Life Incremental Laws Will Keep Abortion Legal says Pro-Life Professor Dr. Charles E. Rice. "You'd have to get rid of the [pro-life] abortion laws."

If Roe v. Wade is overturned, will the hundreds of abortion regulations on the books have the unintended effect of keeping abortion legal?

On Denver radio yesterday, Notre Dame law professor Charles E. Rice addressed a post-Roe scenario that the pro-life movement has so far ignored. "If the [U.S. Supreme] Court says the states can regulate abortion, then to protect the right to life, you'd have to get rid of the [pro-life] abortion laws."

Dr. Rice, who teaches constitutional law, and morality and law, acknowledged that many pro-life laws across America, including Indiana's Informed Consent law, would keep abortion legal if Roe v. Wade simply fell. Indiana Code, Title 16, Section 34, Chapter 2. Requirements for Performance of Abortion... states:

"1. (a) Abortion shall in all instances be a criminal act, except when... (1) During the first trimester of pregnancy for reasons based upon the professional, medical judgment of the pregnant woman's physician if: (A) the abortion is performed by the physician; (B) the woman submitting to the abortion has filed her consent with her physician."

Dr. Rice further warned that the pro-life Supreme Court justices who have ruled or spoken on abortion have stated that the states can regulate abortion, which directly undermines the very personhood of the child and further promotes moral relativism.

Rice also questioned the wisdom of the recently failed Fetal Pain Act, which was promoted by National Right to Life. He indicated that of course anesthesia will actually encourage some women to get an abortion, and may make late-term abortion seem more humane to the public.

Colorado Right To Life president Brian Rohrbough stated that Dr. Rice is so obviously correct that pro-lifers need a strategy overhaul because our own laws may end up keeping most abortions legal decades after Roe. "Pro-lifers will then have to convince a hostile media, the courts, and the public, that our own laws were unjust and must be repealed. That could take a century to accomplish."

Is Jack a Heretic?

2006-12-15T10:14:00.000-06:00

To my complete surprise, I received several similarly-themed emails in reaction to our offering of the Tridentine Catechism.

Without reproducing them all, here are some of the highlights of the accusations in these emails:

(1) That I am "not supporting our current popes"

(2) That I am "committing the sin of idolatry by worshipping a time in the past" and wishing to "move the Church backwards after all the progress it's made."

(3) That I am "arrogant and nostalgic"; attempting to have us "live in the past".

Wow. Ok. I'll address these.

First of all, I don't know of ANY pope (from Peter to Benedict XVI) who has ever said "don't read the historical documents of the Church or else you won't support me." In fact, I think it's just the opposite. Popes such as B16 and JP2 have ENCOURAGED the faithful to learn more about the Church and all of her historic riches.

Second, that I am idealizing the past to the point of sin and trying to force the Church to take steps backward. That's a pretty powerful accusation. I do love the Latin Mass. I attend it with my family every week and it still sends chills up my spine each and every time. But let's say I attended Mass in English (which I do sometimes). Am I still an idolater (sp?) because I find eternal truths of the Church in her historical documents? In all honesty, I don't believe I am.

Third, that I am "arrogant and nostalgic." Mom! I told you to stop emailing me at this address! Just kidding Mom. I guess I might be an arrogant person. I am a lawyer after all. And if I am nostalgic (I know the Silly Putty's gonna make it's big come back any day now), I'm not sure that's a sin. But I really can't see how appreciating the classics of the Catholic faith is any attempt to live in the past.

You all know how much I enjoy the Catholic Classics such as Imitation of Christ, Confessions, Story of a Soul, etc. They have all given me rich meaning and insight into my faith and at NO time have I ever felt that I needed to denounce modern Church documents in order to appreciate these classics. I believe in One Church . . . not a Church that existed before 1963, and another that existed after.

So that's really all I have to say on the matter. I appreciate your feedback. If you disagree with me on this, please let me know. However, if you are on the same faith journey as me and Joe and find beauty in the Catholic Classics, I believe you'll find just as much if not more beauty and meaning in the classic that is the Tridentine Catechism.

But don't take my word for it. Read it for yourself and make up your own minds. Here's the link to get your copy:

http://www.prolifesearch.com/catechism/tridentine-catechism-sale.html

Thanks for your patience. May God bless us all this coming Christmas.

Jack

FRC To Host Annual Conference Of Pro-Life Bloggers

2006-12-12T11:58:00.000-06:00

Family Research Council, located at 801 G Street, NW, will host Blogs4Life, the second annual conference of pro-life bloggers.

Blogs4Life is scheduled to take place the day of the 34th annual March for Life, during which thousands of pro-life advocates gather in the Nation's capitol to celebrate life and demand the reversal of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion.

The conference will feature a keynote address by Ramesh Ponnuru, noted author of The Party of Death and senior editor at National Review. Blogs4Life is an excellent opportunity for individuals and organizations to network with pro-life bloggers and develop an understanding of how weblog technology can be used to strategically promote life and transform ideas into action as we move toward a post-Roe America.

The conference will also feature numerous other bloggers including Joe Carter, FRC's Director for Web Communications, whose blog Evangelical Outpost (www.evangelicaloutpost.com), was voted "Best Religious Blog" in the 2005 Weblog Awards and included as one of the "Best Spiritual Blogs" by Belief.net.

Who: Pro-life bloggers

What: The second annual conference dedicated to advancing the pro-life message via weblog technology.

When: Monday, January 22, 20079:00 am

Where: Family Research Council
801 G. Street, NW * Washington, DC * 20001

RSVP: online at www.blogs4life.com (click on "Register")

Essential Classics Donation Report

2006-11-20T15:01:00.000-06:00

Joe and I spent the weekend going through the numbers. Although there are a couple expenses we're still accounting for, we figured at a minimum we will be donating $6,057 to Pro-Life charities from the Essential Classics of Catholic Spirituality launch.

We think that's AWESOME!

If you participated in the Essential Classics launch, thank you very, very much.

If you did NOT, then you should sign up to be on the "early bird" list for the re-launch so you won't miss out a second time. Here's the link:

http://www.prolifesearch.com/essentialclassics.html

God bless and thanks to everyone that helped us give these charities an extra Merry Christmas!

Free Teleseminar w/ Fr. Trigilio of EWTN

2006-11-12T18:02:00.000-06:00

A quick heads up in case you missed it. . .

One of the bonuses that comes with the Essential Classics of Catholic Spirituality collection is a follow-up live teleseminar with Fr. John Trigilio of EWTN. This teleseminar will be in either early or late January (depending on Father's busy schedule).

The "catch" is that we only have 100 lines for the teleseminar, so only the first 100 people will get in on it.

If you haven't ordered the collection yet, there is still room to get in on that teleseminar bonus. However, there are just a handful of "seats" still available, so act quickly. . .

Here's the link:

http://www.prolifesearch.com/essentialclassics.html

Based on how fast these orders are coming in, we expect the bonus to be sold out early tomorrow morning.

The whole offer ends 11:59 PM eastern Thursday November 16th.

IMPORTANT: Your chance to be heard

2006-11-06T10:00:00.000-06:00

The FDA has opened a forum for the public to share their opinions on vaccines being developed and cultured using aborted cell lines. For those of us who have felt so frustrated by lack of options we must NOT let this moment pass us by! Please click HERE to learn more. And then spread the word. Take action, do not be too busy to take advantage of this rare opportunity!

(from http://www.cogforlife.org/fdaalert.htm)

Priesthood Sunday

2006-10-25T13:06:00.000-05:00

This Sunday, October 29, is designated as "Priesthood Sunday".

Priests for Life wants to help you honor the priests whom you admire and who have served you well. They ask that we send them their names and a few lines about how they have helped and served you to: mail@priestsforlife.org. They will place the names of the priests on a special honor roll on their website.

If you need a recommendation, may I suggest Fr. John J. Blum. I've known Fr. Blum for almost 15 years now, ever since I met his sister (who's now my wife). He is a true preist with the mind, heart, and spirit that are examples for all of our priests. He is truly devoted to his calling and is an inspiration to everyone that knows him. You can find more about him on his parish's website at http://www.stfrances.org/vm/index.asp?vm_id=19&art_id=14426&sec_id=26193#section27121

Essential Classics of Catholic Spirituality

2006-10-23T15:08:00.000-05:00

It's finally here and will only be available for a limited time for download.

Check out the FREE "Sneak Preview" of the limited-edition 10-volume collection by clicking here.

(http://www.prolifesearch.com/spiritualclassics.html)

Happy Birthday, ProLifeSearch!

2006-10-09T11:18:00.000-05:00

Saturday October 7th was the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. It was also the one year anniversary of our "birth", our official launch and I assure you that date was chosen quite by design.

October is the Month of The Rosary, a time when the rosary is prayed even by those who do not take up the beads any other time of the year. Legend has it that the Albigensian Heresy was defeated in 1213 by St. Dominic's faithful recitation of the rosary. The feast of the Holy Rosary was established by Saint Pius V on the anniversary of the naval victory won by the Christian fleet at Lepanto, October 7, 1571 over the Turkish fleets. It is fact that praying the rosary and entering into the Mystery meditations on the life of Our Lord Jesus Christ has the power to dispel evil and bring real peace to that contemplative soul. Even St. Padre Pio, stigmatic and possibly the most famous mystic of the twentieth century, and who was known to physically battle Satan himself, would call out "Bring me my weapon!".

Abortion, euthanasia and all sin that seeks to destroy the Culture of Life can only be defeated by Heavenly aid, for apart from God we can do nothing. It is spiritual battle we wage "not against flesh and blood; but against principalities and power, against the rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of wickedness in the high places." Ephesians 6:12.

What better date for us "two Catholic guys" to pick?

So join us this week as we celebrate 1 year of supporting life through your efforts. And just think of all the good we can do together in the future!

Try the New Pro-Life Services

2006-10-03T15:46:00.000-05:00

In our ongoing effort to generate more donations for charities we've created Pro-Life Services. These online services give you information you need ranging from Autos to Finance and more.

Donations are generated everytime you use these services. For some services donations are generated when you simply fill out an application. For others, donations are generated when you purchase or sign up for a service.

Here's a list of the services we have so far. We're constantly adding more and improving on the quality of each so please check back often.

Autos
Finance
Games
Jobs
Movies
Online Degrees
Shopping
Travel

International ProLifeShopping has arrived!

2006-09-08T13:11:00.000-05:00

At the request of our international members, we have added Canada, Germany, France and the United Kingdom to our ProLifeShopping family. Now your Euros as well as your Dollars and Pounds can support human life when you shop through the ProLifeShopping portal. You can even see how much money from your purchase will come back to us for our charities.

Soon we will be adding other services to make ProLifeSearch your one-stop Internet shop. Be a good steward of your money! Make sure if you buy something online you use ProLifeShopping to ensure that your money is being used to help save lives.

Is this the Pro-Life Generation?

2006-09-01T12:00:00.000-05:00

It could be trending in that direction. In 2004, UCLA's annual poll of U.S. college freshmen found student support for legal abortion at its lowest level (54 percent) since the poll began in 1977. "Glamour" magazine last year noted the "mysterious disappearance of young pro-choice women," pointing to a 2003 CBS/New York Times poll that found only 35 percent of women 18-29 responded that "abortion should be available to anyone who wants it"; in 1993, it had been 50 percent.

Read the full article here. It highlights one of our ad sponsors, Wash for Life (www.washforlife.org).

Not surprisingly, Planned Parenthood is "shocked."

Want to Travel?

2006-08-28T16:21:00.000-05:00

The summer vacation season is almost over and that's often the best time to get great deals on airline flights, rental cars, hotels, and cruises. So if you're still looking to travel, now's your chance.

We've put together the most popular ProLifeSearch travel links below. We hope they're helpful.

1. Travel
2. Airlines
3. Car Rental
4. Hotels
5. Cruises
6. Vacations

Thanks for helping us support life.

What's the Buzz?

2006-08-14T14:54:00.000-05:00

Ever wonder what the rest of the ProLifeSearch.com community is searching for? Well we have your answer.

A new link on our homepage called "PLS Top 10" gives you the top 10 search terms that the PLS world is searching for.

The list is updated daily (except weekends) so go visit it now and check out what the buzz is all about.

This Week's Leader: So far this week it seems everyone wants to be reminded of the former Pontiff while searching their desktop. Leading off the list this week is the search "John Paul II Wallpaper."

ProLifeShopping.com

2006-08-11T11:04:00.000-05:00

Something new that we just launched in beta is ProLifeShopping.com.

Many of you will look at this site and say, "It looks like simply a link to Amazon." And you're right. It's just that simple.

The only difference is that up to 8% of any purchase you make through ProLifeShopping.com goes to our pro-life donation pool. So you can buy the exact same things you would from Amazon at the exact same price knowing that you're also helping to provide financial support to pro-life charities.

Amazon isn't just for buying books. You can get everything including electronics, school supplies, clothes, computer games, lawn equipment -- you name it and they probably have it.

So if you're thinking of buying that new outdoor grill online, some birthday gifts, or maybe some clothes and school supplies for the kids, make sure you buy it from ProLifeShopping.com. You'll get the same great products and at the same time support life.

What Happened?

2006-08-08T11:29:00.000-05:00

I know from the emails that most of you were asking this question over the weekend.

Ahh, the wonderful world of technology!

We had a minor glitch in the search system and instead of providing you poor results, we opted to switch back to the Google search. We hope to have this glitch cleared up by no later than this weekend so we can move on to the New and Improved site.

Thanks for your patience.

The New and Improved ProLifeSearch!

2006-08-04T16:01:00.000-05:00

Beginning next week you'll start to see some major changes to ProLifeSearch.com -- and all of them are for the best!

First, we have a new search technology that will be independent of Google and actually bring you better search results!

Second, the home page will be cleaner and without clutter. I know a lot of you are jumping up and down for joy at this, and Chad (you know who you are) you can stop sending us emails on how ugly the homepage looks.

Third, donations will be made automatically and your chance to have our donations made in your name will be daily instead of monthly. At random times throughout the day a special screen will appear for the user searching closest to that time. That screen will allow you to select not only whose name you want the donation made in, but also which charity will receive it. I know even more of you are jumping up and down at this news.

All in all it will be a better search experience for you and it will allow us more opportunities to make more donations to pro-life charities.

What you'll see is the result on over nine months of development and countless hours of dedicated individual and team effort. Thanks to all the wonderful people who made this possible.

So check out the new site once it's up and start searching!

Strange Brew, Kills What's Inside of You

2006-08-01T10:36:00.000-05:00

Remember that old Cream song? Morbidly, it's the first thing I thought of when I heard this morning that the FDA will most likely make the Plan B "Morning After" pill available without a prescription.

Plan B is essentially a megadose of prescription hormonal birth-control pills. It is marketed as a contraceptive but it works both before and after conception. This means that it destroys anything that may have been conceived the night before.

So why the big push to make this strange brew more readily available? After all, a 2005 study co-authored by a Planned Parenthood doctor in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that having Plan B on hand did nothing to reduce pregnancy rates compared to those who obtained the drug from a pharmacy.

My only answer is that it's the unfortunate yet natural result of a culture based on death. And that culture's proponents are focused on making death readily available just in case you might need to kill what's inside of you.

ProLifeSearch.com Hosts Walkers for Life

2006-07-27T09:59:00.000-05:00

We were honored to have some of the the pro-life walkers from Crossroads stay with our beloved Secretary a few days ago on their way across the country.

These courageous and devout young people have been braving the road, the elements, and even some single finger salutes as they walk across the country in prayer and witness for Life.

Their journey began on the West Coast of the U.S. and will end in Washington, D.C. on the steps of the U.S. Capitol building.

Please pray for all of these walkers as they continue to witness for the dignity of life. You can visit their website if you'd like to find out more about them, donate to their ministry, or even sign up to walk yourself. You'll find them at www.CrossroadsWalk.com.

Illinois Lawmakers, Pro-Life Advocates Upset With Gov on Stem Cell Research

2006-07-24T13:19:00.000-05:00

Illinois lawmakers and pro-life advocates are upset with Gov. Rod Blagojevich for issuing an executive order last week to direct $5 million in state taxpayer funds to pay for embryonic stem cell research. This is the second time the governor has bypassed objections from the state legislature to fund the unproven research.

Read the full article by Steve Ertelt here from LifeNews.com.

Free-Market Victories for Life

2006-07-17T14:19:00.000-05:00

One of the things that excited Joe and I about starting ProLifeSearch.com was the fact that we could use free-market commerce as a way of saving lives. I know this may be controversial in some circles, but I personally believe it's consistent with John Paul II's encyclical on the subject (i.e., Centesimus Annus).

Recently I've read that some pro-life advocates are not only protesting in front of abortion clinics, but actually buying them in order to shut them down. Some have even re-opened them as crisis pregnancy centers that counsel abortion alternatives.

LifeNews has an article with more details about this. I think it's great.

In MO Pro-Life Reigns; Major Taxpayers Rewarded

2006-07-12T09:37:00.000-05:00

Life Choices in Joplin was one of five pregnancy resource centers at which Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt yesterday signed legislation creating tax credit programs that will benefit them, children in crisis, as well as many taxpayers.

Missouri House Bill 1485, sponsored by Rep. Allen Icet (R-84, St. Louis), authorizes an income tax credit for 50 percent of contributions to qualified pregnancy resource centers that provide assistance, support, and an opportunity to choose life for women who are facing an unplanned pregnancy. The bill specifically stipulates that donations be made to those centers that support women with crisis pregnancies or unplanned pregnancies to encourage and assist them carry their pregnancies to term. Those agencies deemed qualified after applying to the Department of Social Services will be entered on a list submitted to the Department of Revenue. The bill also has language that disallows those agencies like Planned Parenthood that consider abortion as an option.

Read the full article here from the Joplin Independent.

Pope Appoints Outspokenly Pro-Life U.S. Bishop to Vatican Supreme Court

2006-07-11T12:39:00.000-05:00

A strongly pro-life U.S. bishop has been appointed to the Vatican’s Supreme Court of the Apostolic Signature, Catholic News Service reported yesterday.

Pope Benedict XVI appointed Archbishop Raymond L. Burke of St. Louis to the court on July eighth.

Archbishop Burke took an uncompromising stand in a drawn out battle during the 2004 U.S. federal election over the reception of communion by pro-abortion public figures. The Archbishop led a minority of Catholic bishops who said they would be willing to uphold Church Law by refusing communion to "manifest grave sinners" until they recanted.

Presidential candidate John Kerry’s insistence that he could be both strongly Catholic and strongly pro-abortion uncovered a split in the U.S. Bishops over whether or not to deny Kerry (and others like him) Holy Communion. While Cardinal McCarrick of Washington issued a statement saying the U.S. Catholic Bishops’ Conference would not take a stand on the issue, Archbishop Burke directed his priests to refuse Holy Communion to any politician who officially supported abortion or euthanasia.

"I hereby call upon Catholic legislators . . . to uphold the natural and divine law regarding the inviolable dignity of all human life. To fail to do so is a grave public sin and gives scandal to all the faithful. Therefore . . . Catholic legislators . . . who continue to support procured abortion or euthanasia may not present themselves to receive Holy Communion. They are not to be admitted to Holy Communion, should they present themselves, until such time as they publicly renounce their support of these most unjust practices."

In a pastoral letter issued in January 2004, Archbishop Burke said abortion and euthanasia must take precedence over any other political considerations.

"Some will say that the defense of innocent life is only one issue among many, that it is important but not fundamental. They are wrong. In the natural moral law, the good of life is the most fundamental good and the condition for the enjoyment of all other goods."

Archbishop Burke had worked for the Vatican Supreme Court from 1989 to 1994. The Apostolic Signature oversees all tribunals and offices of the Roman Curia, as well as handling the establishment of international diocesan tribunals. Appeals to marriage annulment sentences make up a significant number of the cases handled by the court.

(Source: LifeSite.net)

Michigan Pro-Life Group Fails to Get Abortion Measure on November Ballot

2006-07-11T08:58:00.000-05:00

Michigan voters will not have the opportunity this November to vote on a pro-life ballot measure that would have declared the beginning of human life at the moment of conception. The measure was designed to challenge the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade that allowed virtually unlimited abortions.

Michigan Citizens for Life had until July 10, 2006 to obtain 317,000 signatures from state residents to qualify the ballot proposal for November.

Read the full story here from LifeNews.com.

High Court OK's Pro-Life License Plates

2006-06-29T10:17:00.000-05:00

The US Supreme Court has ended years of legal battles over the right of citizens to display pro-life messages on their cars’ license plates.

The court declined to review lower court decisions, and let stand decisions by the Fifth and Sixth Circuit Courts of Appeals that permitted pro-life license plates to be sold in Louisiana and Tennessee.

Bearing the message “Choose Life,” the plates offended abortion supporters who claimed that the tags violate the First Amendment by not permitting an abortion rights message in the same forum.

“Tennesseans have waited long enough to get this plate on the road and generating proceeds for agencies which help women and families facing difficult pregnancies,” said Brian Harris, president of Tennessee Right to Life, according to The Tennessean.

In New York earlier this year, a court ruled that displaying pro-life opinions on the back of one’s car was a matter of free speech rights.

Source: LifeSiteNews.com

"Crossroads" youth walk across country with pro-life message

2006-06-27T13:01:00.000-05:00

At 3:30 in the morning a lone figure can be seen limping along the side of Interstate 90. His head is bent in prayer and his body is hunched over from fatigue and hunger. No, he doesn't want a ride, but he wouldn't mind a wave and smile of recognition for his T-shirt with his message emblazoned in large blue letters that he is carrying throughout the country.

"PRO LIFE" is what his shirt says, and his mission is to raise awareness about the sacred beauty of human life - from conception to natural death. He is a walker for Crossroads, an annual pro-life pilgrimage comprised of youth who walk in three separate groups across the United States to deliver their peaceful message of preserving all human life.

Read the full article here by WENDY PITLICK

For more info on Crossroads and how you can help, see their website at www.CrossRoadsWalk.com

Article Source: The Black Hills Pioneer

US Bishops Approve New Liturgical Wording

2006-06-16T10:30:00.000-05:00

They actually approved it! Wow! I think this is good news.

See the article from The Conservative Voice as well as my previous post on this subject.

"Don" Joseph Scheidler Still A Mafia Kinpin, Thanks to NOW

2006-06-09T16:32:00.000-05:00

"I'm not surprised that NOW found a way to keep control of this case," said Joseph M. Scheidler, national director of the Pro-Life Action League. "In the twenty years we've been fighting NOW v. Scheidler, it has been our experience that NOW's attorneys are masters of the art of deception and misrepresentation."

Scheidler was expecting yesterday morning to watch Judge David Coar sign a Judgment in his favor as directed by the United States Supreme Court in their Opinion handed down on February 28. But once again NOW's attorney Fay Clayton pulled off another delay.

Claiming that she had not had time to consider the Judgment that would put an end to the twenty-year-old lawsuit, Clayton said she had objections to some of the elements of the Judgment. She said she wanted to make sure the Settlement Injunction NOW had secured against Randall Terry prior to the seven-week trial in 1998 would continue in effect in spite of the Supreme Court's finding that there had never been a RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) violation.

RICO is for prosecuting the Mafia for Pete's sake. Come on Clayton! Until that judgment is signed Scheidler remains a convicted felon and racketeer. At least Joe's friends can say they know a real Mafioso. Now that you mention it, maybe Clayton's on to something. Look at the hat!

Here are the May donations

2006-06-06T16:59:00.000-05:00

We donated $1,000 to the following pro-life charities for the month of May because of you. Thank you for helping us support life.

In the name of Mrs. Ruth Morton (Abigail Pregnancy Services)
In the name of Mr. A. Morrison (Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute)
In the name of Francis Griffin & Brenda Thieman (Defend Life Baltimore)
In the name of Karen Snelling (EWTN)
In the name of Dubuque County Right to Life, Inc. (Edmonton Prolife Society)
In the name of Rosebell Zimmerer (Jacksonville for Life, Inc.)
In the name of Fr. David Hoefler (Marguerite Bourgeoys Family Centre Fertility Care
Programme)
In the name of John P. Tietjen, Jr. (Center for Life and Hope)
In the name of Jenn Schiavone (Woman's Choice Services, Inc.)
In Memory of Earl Ray & Elizabeth Kathryn Stone Lewis (Nebraska Coalition for Ethical
Research)
In Memory of Steven Pennington (Foundation of Reason & Justice)
In the name of Jeffery White (Women's Center of Chicago)
In Memory of Fredrick Schmitt (WordNet Productions)
In the name of Missionaries of Our Lady of Divine Mercy (Illinois Right to Life)
In the name of Matthew & Anne McLean (One More Soul)
In the name of Baby Quinn (Human Life International)
In the name of Carolyn Craighead (Cardinal Newman Society)
In Honor of Bill Goertz, Father & Author (Stand True Ministries)
In the name of Ravens Respect Life (The Truth Squad)
In the name of Dr. Donald Watkins Doiron (Saint Gianna's Maternity Home)

Connecticut Must Reinstate Choose Life Plates or Pro-Life Group Will Sue

2006-06-06T11:22:00.000-05:00

If the state of Connecticut doesn't reinstate the Choose Life license plates that it recently revoked, a pro-life group that promotes adoptions and sponsors the plate plans to file a lawsuit. The state halted sales of the plates after pro-abortion State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal complained.

The Children First Foundation, which is headquartered in New York but does business in Connecticut, says it doesn't want to file a lawsuit to get the plates reinstated but will if the state won't relent.

Elizabeth Rex, the president of the adoption group, told LifeNews.com her organization was "deeply saddened" that the state revoked the Choose Life plate "without following due process."

Read the full article here from LifeNews.com.

For Once, Liturgical Reform May Be a Good Thing

2006-06-02T15:28:00.000-05:00

The U.S. bishops will be asked to approve a new translation of the Order of Mass when they meet in Los Angeles June 15-17.

If the new translation is adopted as proposed and subsequently approved by the Vatican, Catholics will have to learn a number of changes in their Mass prayers and responses.

While liturgical reforms have lately meant a change away from the traditional Mass, these reforms seem like an attempt to get back to them.

Take a look at the article here. They sound like a more literal translation of the Latin Mass.

The real question is whether the USCCB will elect to adopt these changes. For once, I hope they pass liturgical reform.

Jack Manhire Sr Makes 4th Degree Knight

2006-05-26T14:27:00.000-05:00

Here's a picture of my father after recently making his 4th degree in the Knights of Columbus. Congratulations!

Hey Dad, where are the poofy hat and sword?

Will the Ex-Prof Be Criminally Charged?

2006-05-25T16:15:00.000-05:00

Vandalism charges against a literature professor accused of destroying a pro-life display at Northern Kentucky University in April may be dropped, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Sally Jacobsen encouraged six students to join her in tearing up 400 white crosses representing a cemetery of aborted babies, displayed by the campus pro-life group Northern Kentucky Right to Life (NKRL). Ms. Jacobsen was photographed trampling on the sign accompanying the display.

The Kentucky Enquirer reported Wednesday that mediation proceedings would take place between Jacobsen, university officials, student government and NKRL. Campbell District Judge Karen Thomas said if a mutual agreement was not reached by June 27, the criminal case against Jacobsen would go ahead.

Jacobsen has been charged with criminal solicitation, criminal mischief and theft by unlawful taking, all misdemeanour charges. The six students who were also charged with participating in the destruction of the display accepted an offer to perform community service in exchange for having the charges against them dropped.

The former head of Women's Studies at NKU, Jacobsen earlier told the Enquirer her actions in destroying the display were justified by the strength of her feelings against it.

"Any violence perpetrated against that silly display was minor compared to how I felt when I saw it," she said.

Jacobsen was suspended from her teaching position at the University after the vandalism occurred, and retired from her post at the end of term.

Source: LifeSite.com. Article by Gudrun Schultz

KS Gov Tries to Sound Pro-Life

2006-05-25T09:26:00.000-05:00

I know we have a lot of users in our ProLifeSearch.com community from Kansas, so I found this interesting. It sounds like the new trend is for politicians to pander to pro-life believers. While I hate being "pandered" to, it also shows me that the pro-life community has some political clout. Take a look.

"Personally, I believe abortion is wrong," Gov. Kathleen Sebelius wrote last week in her message accompanying a veto of an abortion-reporting bill. She also noted that abortions in Kansas have declined while she has been governor, and promised that "my administration will continue to work to reduce these numbers even more."

On its face that sounds pretty good coming from a pro-choice governor. But I don't think anyone's buying it.

"Gov. Sebelius’ attempt in her veto explanation to portray herself as pro-life is outrageous," Kathy Ostrowski, legislative director of Kansans for Life, told The Topeka Capital-Journal. "She cannot reinvent the term, no matter how carefully she chooses her words."

Source: WE Blog

Pro-Life Groups Renew Call to Pull Abortion Drug RU 486

2006-05-17T11:35:00.000-05:00

Women seeking elective chemical abortions remain at risk with RU-486 on the market, a U.S. bishops' aide told a government workshop convened in the wake of deaths from the drug.

Deirdre McQuade, a spokeswoman at the bishops' Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities, made her comment Thursday during a public meeting held by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on RU-486, also known as Mifeprex.

The meeting was co-sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health. It was convened in response to the death of five women who have died from infections after undergoing RU-486 abortions.

McQuade said: "We continue to call for the passage of Holly's Law to temporarily suspend FDA approval of RU-486 while its approval process is reviewed."

"Holly's Law," as a U.S. House bill is known, is named after Holly Patterson, a California woman who died from septic shock after undergoing an RU-486 abortion.

"The CDC workshop is a constructive step," McQuade said, "but no substitute for the provisions in Holly's Law, as it neither addresses the distinct risks posed by RU-486 nor offers any immediate protection of women's lives."

(Source: Zenit.org)

Thousands Attend Pro-Life March in Canada, Want New Abortion Debate

2006-05-15T16:15:00.000-05:00

Ottawa, Canada (LifeNews.com) -- Several thousand pro-life advocates participated in the national March for Life in Canada to express their pro-life views. They want the federal government there to reopen the debate on abortion, but even with a new Conservative government, that's unlikely to happen.

The pro-life advocates converged on Parliament Hill today and called for new laws limiting abortion.

They were encouraged when at least a dozen Conservative and Liberal members of the Canadian Parliament and several senators addressed the crowd. They told the marcher to keep up their fight against abortion.

Read the full story by Steven Ertelt here.

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad

2006-05-10T15:35:00.000-05:00

My parents (Jack and Diane Manhire) were married 37 years ago today. They have always been great examples of love and teachers of the Catholic faith for me and I'm lucky to have them as parents.

And they are still very much in love! They even work together in their own business and always find time for the occassional dinner-and-a-movie date.

If you need Visual Communications or Graphic Design work done, visit their website at www.TheConceptDesignGroup.com.

While you're there, drop them an email and wish them a Happy Anniversary!!! I'd love to flood their Inbox with warm wishes from the ProLifeSearch community. Thanks.

Going to Mass Might Reduce Your Insurance Payments

2006-05-09T13:20:00.000-05:00

Some users asked that we re-post an article from a few months ago that discusses how you might save on your insurance if you go to Mass regularly.

So here it is. I hope it's helpful. (Click here for the article).

Immaculate Heart Radio

2006-05-05T12:59:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Don Nelson for interviewing me today on his radio talk show, Voice for Life, on Immaculate Heart Radio. We appreciate the opportunity to spread the word about ProLifeSearch.com.

This link should be an mp3 of the show (I come on about 20 minutes into the program). Please feel free to comment on how silly I might sound. I just love feedback.

More Campus Violence Against Life

2006-05-03T15:59:00.000-05:00

BELLINGHAM, WA, May 3, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A Western Washington University pro-life club's display was virtually destroyed by yesterday afternoon by a bare-foot male student who was photographed and videotaped as he dismantled the display. After spending more than three hours playing his guitar and observing the campus-approved display, the Asian male began to tape newspapers over one of the perimeter signs that warned students they were approaching the display.

The student was then observed leaping over the perimeter barricade that surrounded the display. Pro-life students, out of respect for his person, did not physically interfere as the vandal proceeded to systematically tear down the entire display. Their first concern was for the safety of several small children inside the display area who were quickly moved to safety.

Fr. Michael Manning Show

2006-05-01T10:14:00.000-05:00

Fr. Michael Manning interviewed me Friday, April 28th for his TV show. It was a great experience overall, and my first trip to California. Thanks to Fr. Mike, Bro. Steve, and everyone at Wordnet Productions for their incredible hospitality and delicious Chinese food!

The air date of the show is still TBD, but as soon as I find something out I'll post it. The show airs weekly on TBN at 11:30 AM Wednesdays.

(For those of you paying attention, you'll notice I recently learned how to add pictures to the blog. Pretty cool!)

Is Vandalism Against Life a New Trend?

2006-04-21T09:35:00.000-05:00

Now at Princeton. Is this a new trend, or are we just paying closer attention now?

Read the full article here from the Daily Princetonian.

Kentucky Takes a Stand

2006-04-18T13:12:00.000-05:00

The Northern Kentucky University professor, Sally Jacobsen, who incited and took part in vandalism against a Pro-Life memorial has been dismissed by the university.

It's nice to see some backbone, especially from an institute of higher learning. Nice work NKU.

Read the full article here from LifeSite.net.

Recent Donations

2006-04-18T11:38:00.000-05:00

These are the donation checks going out this week. (The recipient charities are in parentheses):

• In the name of Mary Speranzella (Valor a l'Amor)
• In the name of Scott Wallisch (La Clinica Guadalupana)
• In honor of Father Rohan for supporting Youth 2000 in CT (Elizabeth's New Life Center)
• In the name of Sage Jensen (American Collegians for Life)
• In memory of Father James Pilsner (died October 2005) (Pro-Life Action Ministries)
• In memory of Donald P. Libera, Sr. (died December 3, 1999) (Tepeyac Family Center)
• In the name of Francis Xavier Gerard Delevante (Maggie's Place)
• In memory of Terri Schindler Schiavo (AAA Women for Choice)
• In memory of Pope John Paul II (Alberta Life Issues Educational Society)
• In the name of Claire and Andrew (Casa de Los Angelitos)
• In the name of Maureen Gutting (Billboards for Life)
• In memory of Elmo Palmer (Culture of Life Foundation)
• In the name of Joshua & Macallan (Life Choices, Inc.)
• In honor of Jean Slingerland, John Paul II, Michael Barnhill (Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust)
• In memory of Unborn children of abortion (Wordnet Productions, Inc.)
• In the name of Lee and Ella Nora Welcker (EWTN)
• In memory of Antonio Cardinal Bacci (Priests for Life)
• In the name of Dave Nix (Women’s Center of Chicago)
• In the name of Isabel Rose Giancola (Human Life International)
• In memory of Sean Patrick Posey (August 8th 1985 - January 4th 2006) (BOMA-USA)

Thanks to all of you for making these donations possible!!!

Another Example of Liberal "Tolerance"

2006-04-14T10:47:00.000-05:00

This time from a professor.

Dr. Sally Jacobsen, a professor of British Women's Literature (obviously a vast area of study) at Northern Kentucky University, encouraged students to vandalize a Pro-Life memorial and was caught on camera participating herself.

Here's the contact information she lists on her website:

Office: Landrum 545
Office Telephone Number: (859) 572-5506
E-mail Address: jacobsen@nku.edu

Read the full story at LifeNews.com.

Triduum/Easter

2006-04-13T09:03:00.000-05:00

On behalf of Joe, myself, and everyone that makes ProLifeSearch.com possible -- have a Holy Triduum and a Happy Easter.

Thank you again for making ProLifeSearch.com such a success for life.

Technology Update

2006-04-04T14:53:00.000-05:00

Many people have requested a technology update so here it is:

As many of you know Google is (currently) not in favor of us using their ad network to generate donations for prolife charities. Because of this we have been looking for a new search partner for the last few months.

A few of the big ones turned us down for religious/political reasons, but surprisingly not all. We are currently in negotiations with two great search result providers (names to be announced once the contracts are signed).

This will allow us to control the content on the search engine results page to include our own ad network, thereby increasing revenues to create more donations for the prolife charities that so desperately need them.

Thank you all so much for continuing to use ProLifeSearch.com and spreading the word.

P.S. We have even more technology improvements coming, but I don't want to spill the beans on those until they are ready to launch. These very exciting developments will take ProLifeSearch beyond just search technology and bring a good deal more of the Internet's mainstream technology to you -- the prolife community. Stay tuned!

First TV Appearance

2006-04-03T13:53:00.000-05:00

Bro. Steve Pardy of Wordnet Productions was kind enough to ask us on the Fr. Michael Manning Show.

They will tape the show on April 28th, so look for it sometime in May. You can see Jack's new haircut. He now looks surprisingly similar to the original G.I. Joe doll with Kung Fu grip from the 70s.

So much for tolerance

2006-03-07T10:29:00.000-06:00

According to CNSNews.com and LifeNews.com, a pro-life poster was recently defaced and torn down on the Harvard University campus.

This doesn't surprise me. I remember seeing some of the same raw anger toward pro-life issues when I was at Yale University. My brother-in-law, who's a priest, regularly has pro-life bumper stickers ripped off the back of his car. The fact that pro-life issues evoke a negative emotional reaction is nothing new.

But what always gets me is that the extreme political left (those most frequently associated with anti-life stances) are the same people who advocate tolerance of every kind throughout a "civilized society."

I guess tolerance for life is somehow excluded.

Donations made this week

2006-03-06T10:13:00.000-06:00

We are just now getting out the donation report for last week, and you may notice many new charities receiving donations.

This group of donations totalled nineteen in number, and provided just over $1,000 to the Pro-life cause . . . all thanks to you, our site users! God Bless You All.

One request: Please, please make an extra effort to remind your friends and family to use ProLifeSearch.com. Many charities need your help! And the cost to you is FREE!

The following donations were made this week:

- In memory of Evelyn T. Pilkington (to American Life League)
- In honor of John Edwin Bernard (to Sisters For Life)
- In honor of Rita A. Nickell (to The Center for Life Principles)
- In honor of The Right to Life Association of Toronto (to Canada Silent No More/Women for Life International)
- In honor of Fabiano Cianciolo (to Houston Coalition for Life)
- In memory of All Unborn Children (to Priests for Life)
- In the name of Krupa Prolifers (to The Women's Center of Chicago)
- In honor of Jean Pierson (to CareNet)
- In memory of Fr. Gerald Lewis (to Human Life International)
- In memory of Michael Davies (to EWTN)
- In memory of All The Unborn (to Lutherans for Life Canada)
- In honor of Joyce and Major Facteau (to ProLife Alliance)
- In honor of St. Monessa (to Population Research Institute)
- In honor of Anthony, Isabella and Nicholas Ventura (to Couple to Couple League)
- In honor of Raphael Cardinal Merry del Val (to The Room at the Inn)
- In the name of The Poirier Family (to Apostolate for Family Consecration ("Catholic Familyland"))
- In memory of The unborn never allowed to live (to Human Life Alliance)
- In honor of Todd Albrigo (to Project Rachel)
- In honor of John Patrick Barth (to Priests For Life Canada)

Thank you again for making these donations possible.

PLS on the Radio

2006-02-10T21:07:00.000-06:00

Leo Brown of ReaLife Radio 1380 AM in Lexington, KY was kind enough to invite us on his afternoon show to help us spread the word. Thanks to Leo and Al for a great interview!

Recent Donations

2006-02-10T16:34:00.000-06:00

In name of Katie, Missy, DJ and Janie Patton (to EWTN)

In honor of Bishop David A. Zubik and in memory of Susan Zubik (to Population Research Institute)

In honor of Pope John Paul the Great (to Human Life Alliance)

In memory of Elizabeth J. Harvey (to Project Rachel)

PLS Makes the Newspaper

2006-01-30T16:04:00.000-06:00

The National Catholic Register ran a feature article on ProLifeSearch.com yesterday in their January 29th edition. That's our first off-line media exposure. We hope it will help spread the word.

We Need Good Ads

2006-01-26T15:48:00.000-06:00

As many of you have pointed out, Google is serving up many inapproriate ads on PLS. We don't like that any more than you do so Joe and I are taking the steps necessary to create our own ad network that we can control. That way we can guarantee that no ads are inappropriate for you, our pro-life audience.

This will of course take time and revenue for donations may be lower than normal for a short period. But once this new pro-life ad network is established and running, we believe we can make even more money for donations than we were through Google.

We need your help to kick start this process. If you're interested in advertising on our site (or know someone who would be), then follow the link on the front page that says "Advertise on PLS."

You'll be taken to an ad broker that we use (AdBrite) that has some fixed advertising fees. We are then able to pre-approve every single ad.

If you need a special advertising arrangement, please email us directly and Joe and I will see what we can work out with you (ads@prolifesearch.com).

Thanks for being a part of what we believe will someday be a major pro-life Internet presence that does a lot of good to support pro-life charities.

God Bless You All,

Jack

Recent round of donations

2006-01-19T10:37:00.000-06:00

The following donations were made this week:

• In Honor of The Blessed Virgin Mary, Notre Dame, our Mother (made to Population Research Institute)
• In the name of Denise Mountenay (made to Sisters of Life)
• In the name of Valerie Smith (made to Children of the Rosary)
• In Memory of Papa and Grandmother (made to Project Rachel)

Thanks again for making these donations possible.

More donations being made

2006-01-12T13:52:00.000-06:00

We're writing more donation checks next week and want to give you a chance to have them made in your name.

If you haven't already registered, please go to the homepage and do so before tomorrow if you'd like a chance to have one of these donations made in your name.

If you already are registered: Thank you! Check your email early tomorrow and reply in the normal way.

JM

Email back log

2006-01-11T15:46:00.000-06:00

PLS has grown larger and faster than Joe and I had initially expected. That’s great! And it’s all because of you. Thanks.

With growth, of course, comes more work. We’ve received a rush of emails from charities, users, and news media from all over the world. We are dedicated to reading and responding to every single one.

But add the increased email traffic to the already busy day-jobs Joe and I have (we usually work about 10 to 12 hour days) and an email back log becomes inevitable. In fact, it’s taken me 4 hours just to get this blog written and posted as I’m trying to do so in between other work.

So instead of spending each day worrying that every email isn’t responded to as it comes in, Joe and I have decided to set one or two nights aside each week to give each and every email the personal attention it deserves. It will probably be this way for a little while, at least until we can hire someone part-time. If you emailed us and haven’t had a response yet, please know that you will receive one as soon as possible.

Thanks once again for making ProLifeSearch.com such a growing success and for your patience as things continue to grow. Please keep searching and continue to spread the word.

GBU,
Jack

Featured Articles

2006-01-10T11:24:00.000-06:00

Thanks to all of our Registered Users for checking out our latest Featured Article. As we explained in our VERY long email over the weekend, this helps us in our pro-life mission.

If you would like to help us even further and have not registered yet, you can do so on our home page (www.prolifesearch.com).

Registration allows us to keep you up-to-date on new and exciting things happening with PLS.com. It also qualifies you for a chance to have our donations to pro-life charities made in your name.

Thanks again to all our users (registered or not) for helping us support life. We couldn't do it without you.

GBU,
Jack

Most recent round of donations

2006-01-09T15:37:00.000-06:00

Wow! Once again you have humbled and amazed us. We didn't expect the overwhelming response we received this time around. Thank you.

Donations were made in the following names:

In Honor of Prof. Paladina, Franciscan University of Steubenville (American Life League)

In the name of The Stipanov Family (Priests for Life)

In the name of Karen Snelling (Human Life International)

In Gratitude to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God (The Women's Center of Chicago)

In the name of The Blum Family (EWTN)

Yes, the last one is actually a relation of Fr. John Blum (see post below) but that happens sometimes when you choose names randomly. Please, no flames on "rigged elections". ;-)

Thank you all for responding. Our next round of donations will be in about 3 weeks. Hopefully, with your help, we will have even more money to give to even more great charities.

Rev. John J. Blum Joins Board of Advisors

2006-01-09T15:02:00.000-06:00

We are fortunate to have Fr. John Blum as the latest member of our advisory board. Fr. Blum is a staunch advocate of life from the pulpit as well as in his daily pastoral work. He is currently Parochial Vicar at Saint Frances Cabrini in Springhill, Florida. We are honored to have him aboard, and are most grateful for the spiritual guidance he brings to the table.

To learn more about Fr. Blum, please visit his parish website here.

Edward Adams Joins Our Advisory Board

2006-01-06T11:23:00.000-06:00

Joe and I are proud to announce that Mr. Edward J. Adams, Jr. has recently joined our Advisory Board. Mr. Adams lives in Front Royal, VA with his wife and four children. He has extensive knowledge and experience in business, finance, and politics with graduate degrees and education in both Business and Government. He is a valued advisor in these matters.

Mr. Adams joins Dr. Charles E. Rice (our founding advisory board member). We are still in the process of inviting others to our board and will update you as they accept. So stay tuned!

In the meantime, if you have any suggestions on individuals whose advice could benefit PLS, please nominate them to our Board of Advisors. Email me directly at jack@prolifesearch.com with your nomination. We will prayerfully consider every one of them.

Thanks!

GBU,
Jack

Visiting the Women's Center

2006-01-05T13:38:00.000-06:00

Last Friday Joe and I delivered a donation check to the Women's Center of Chicago. It wasn't the first donation ProLifeSearch.com made, but it was the first time we personally visited one of our approved charities.

We met with Mary Strom, the executive director, and Mary was nice enough to give us a full tour of their facility (which included a Perpetual Adoration chapel). She was even nice enough to pose for some pictures with us. You can see one of them here.

The donation check was for $500, but after the tour of the facility and hearing about the wonderful things the Women's Center does for life, Joe and I both realized how small of a donation it truly was. On the car ride home, we talked about the fact that we wished we could have given more.

But PLS is still pretty young (only a little over 2 months old now). We know that more users committed to life will hear about PLS and start using it regularly. It may take a few more months (or a year), but we can't wait until the day when PLS has grown to allow us to donate thousands of dollars daily to these types of pro-life charities.

I want to say thank you one more time to all the PLS users who make donations like this possible. Ultimately, our donations are because of you.

GBU,
Jack

Pro-Life Advocates Finally Have a Player in the “Socially-Minded” Company Trend

2005-10-14T10:03:00.000-05:00

Chicago, IL – October 17, 2005 – The pro-life community now has a representative in corporate giving’s newest trend. ProLifeSearch.com (http://www.prolifesearch.com/), the Web’s First Pro-Life Search Engine, announced today that it will begin world-wide operations. It is the pro-life cause’s first foray into what has been labeled the “socially-minded” company trend.

Through an advertising relationship with Google, the world’s biggest search engine, ProLifeSearch.com provides quality search results for its users free of charge. Like other search engines it generates revenue through the sponsored links displayed along with Google’s standard search results. It is this revenue that ProLifeSearch.com uses to make donations directly to approved pro-life charities. As a way of increasing user participation, ProLifeSearch.com allows its users to attach their names to the search engine’s donations.

Although Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and Paul Newman’s salad dressings have long advertised that a good portion (if not all) of their revenues go to support charitable causes, lately a wave of corporate philanthropy has made major headlines. From Bill Gate’s family foundation to Google’s new $900 million dollar organization, for-profit companies have been using revenues generated through traditional commercial means to give back to society and support the works of non-profit charities. More frequently, these “socially-minded” companies have chosen to give to specific charities with specific charitable goals.

Until now, many believe the pro-life charitable cause has been neglected or at least grossly under-represented. “[Pro-life issues] are a controversial topic most executives don’t want to touch with a 10-foot pole,” said one of ProLifeSearch.com’s founders. “The result is that the pro-life community becomes marginalized. Sure you can buy a pro-life bumper sticker on the Web, or maybe a T-shirt. But until now there was no way for the pro-life community to support their cause by simply being a member of the mainstream economy.”

ProLifeSearch.com allows the pro-life community to provide financial support to pro-life charities without reaching into their own pockets. In order for a charity to receive a donation it must meet with the company’s approval process. An approved charity must directly support pro-life activities, and in no way condone, promote, or support any acts of violence in furtherance of the pro-life cause.

The company is relying initially on word of mouth to increase its user base. The more people who use ProLifeSearch.com as their search engine, the more money the company donates to pro-life charities. How much can the company generate for pro-life organizations? It’s too early to say for sure, but seeing that Google generated almost $3.2 billion dollars last year through sponsored search clicks, chances are that ProLifeSearch.com can make a major financial contribution to the pro-life cause.

For information: http://www.prolifesearch.com/ or
Contact: mailto:info@prolifesearch.com

Pro-Life Community Invisible in History's Biggest Wave of Corporate Giving

2005-10-13T08:27:00.000-05:00

An article in The Wall Street Journal yesterday announced Google's creation and funding of a philanthropic organization called Google.org. The initial endowment for this organization created to assist charities and socially-minded corporation was almost $1 billion.

The WSJ article went on to highlight other major charitable groups organized and funded by today's top corporate earners (e.g., Bill Gate's foundation). It is clear that we are experiencing one of the biggest waves in corporate giving since the days of Carnegie and Rockefeller. But the unasked (and unanswered) question remains: Are any of these company's philanthropic dollars going to Pro-Life charities?

A quick review of the charities involved in some of the corporate giving so far shows the answer is clearly "no." Granted there are some exceptions to this, but besides Tom Monaghan (founder of Domino's Pizza) and maybe Mel Gibson, what other financially strong voices does the Pro-Life cause have? Other "socially minded" corporations exist such as Ben & Jerry's ice cream and Paul Newman's salad dressings, but they tend to support anti-life causes, not Pro-Life organizations.

It's time for the Pro-Life community to share in the benefits of America's strong economy. We need a "socially minded" company that's dedicated to supporting the culture of life, not the culture of death. That's why ProLifeSearch.com was created (www.prolifesearch.com). Through our advertising partnership with Google -- the world's biggest search engine company -- we are able to generate revenue that is directly donated to charities that only support the Pro-Life position and actively seek alternatives to the culture of death's quick-fix mentality found in common practices such as abortion and euthanasia.

ProLifeSearch.com harnesses the power of Internet Search to give back to the one cause that is most important to our culture and at the same time is the most under-represented. ProLifeSearch.com is not only a response and reaction to the amount of corporate giving supporting the culture of death. It is also a proactive step to further the good works that so many Pro-Life charities are performing, and to strengthen them financially so they can do even greater works.

Possibly the most attractive part of ProLifeSearch.com is that it is 100% and completely free. Users can support Pro-Life organizations without having to spend one penny out of their own pockets. Almost 100% of ProLifeSearch.com's revenue comes from on-line advertisers (shown as "Sponsored Links" on the search results page) who pay each time a user clicks on their sponsored link. So Pro-Life advocates can truly take advantage of the revenue generated by the economy (and not out of their own checkbook) to go directly to Pro-Life causes.

The more people search, the more money ProLifeSearch.com gives to Pro-Life charities. So copy this article and send it to all your friends.

www.ProLifeSearch.com.
"You Search. We Donate."

ProLifeSearch up and running

2005-10-11T15:02:00.000-05:00

ProLifeSearch.com (www.prolifesearch.com) is up and running. As we anticipated there are a few bugs and wrinkles to iron out, but we plan on having everything to spec by close of business on October 17, 2005.

Come check it out and please give us your feedback. We welcome your comments and critiques as to how we can make your search experience better.

www.prolifesearch.com

ProLifeSearch.com Goes Live Oct 7th

2005-10-05T09:03:00.000-05:00

October 7th is the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. What better date to launch ProLifeSearch.com. Of course, we anticipate some bugs in the system and estimate that all of those will be worked out by Oct 17th.

So join us. Search and support life through ProLifeSearch.com.

www.ProLifeSearch.com

ProLifeSearch.com in Development

2005-09-30T22:02:00.000-05:00

We're proud to announce the development of the Web's First Pro Life Search Engine -- ProLifeSearch.com (www.prolifesearch.com). ProLifeSearch.com allows those who choose to support Pro Life charities and causes to do so simply by searching the Web.

ProLifeSearch.com is currently in the developmental stage and is scheduled to launch in Beta on October 17, 2005. Please mark your calendars and join us to become an essential part of the Web's First Pro Life Search Engine.

A company like ProLifeSearch.com is vital to the pro-life community. This cause is simply not supported by the mainstream corporate world. The result is that the pro-life community becomes marginalized. Sure you can buy a pro-life bumper sticker on the Web, or maybe a T-shirt. But until now there was no way to support this cause by simply participating in the everyday economy.

Many people ask us why we stay anonymous as the founders of such a great company. Our answer is simple and we believe is consistent with both Scripture and Christain humility: We will let our works stand on their own. ProLifeSearch.com is not about us as individuals. It's about supporting the pro-life community and its charities through the power of Internet commerce.

www.ProLifeSearch.com