ProLifeSearch.Com and the Essential Catholic Classics

I am posting this in its entirety (from several comment postings) in the hope that some may be able to benefit from it:

A friend of mine received this today. I didn't get one because I have changed my email address since Prolife search went down. They probably sent it to my old address. This is for your own information and discernment.

From: Jack Manhire - Catholic Classics [mailto:registerclassics@prolifesearch.com]
Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 2:51 PM
To: [Name removed]
Subject: What happened to ProLifeSearch?

We apologize for the lateness of this email, and for the dropped responses and follow-up tasks that have affected some of you. I (Joe Hanley) would like to accept personal responsibility for these failures, and I can only tell you again that I'm sorry. Personal issues got me very off track, and I did not communicate outwardly or complete the follow-ups I promised you, I ask your forgiveness. We will take care of your requests and communication right away from this point on.

As you most likely realize even before receiving this note, PLS has had a long interruption in our mission--and our communication--and we'd like to use this email for three things:

1. First and foremost, apologize for some problems over the past months

2. Next, update you on the PLS operation

3. Finally, and importantly as well, initiate effective follow-up to any communication and requests you have back to us

Bad news before details... as many or you have already noticed, the ProLifeSearch website is no more. Here's what happened:

Regarding our operations, it has taken us awhile to put some of the pieces of ProLifeSearch back together again. . . including those who purchased the books.

As many or you have already noticed, the ProLifeSearch website is gone. We'll get to how that happened in a minute.

But first, regarding the books: When we took the orders for the leather-bound books we divided the money received two ways. The first went to the publisher to produce the books. The second part went immediately to our pro-life charities.

We then began having trouble with our publisher. For one reason or another they kept giving us excuses as to why the books weren't ready yet. Days turned into weeks which turned into months. By the time we demanded our money back for a job not completed, the publisher was completely non-responsive. Since this publisher is overseas, it will end up costing us more to sue the publisher for performance than what we paid them.

So all of the money sent to the publisher is gone. The money not sent to the publisher went to our pro-life charities and hopefully did a great deal of good for Life.

Of course some of you would like refunds for the money you paid, as you should. We do not feel right asking for the money back from our charities, and the rest of the money is in the publisher's pocket. So we (Jack and I) will personally pay those people back who request a refund out of our own pockets. We just ask that you have patience. We simply cannot afford to refund everyone at once. As money becomes available, we will make good on our promise though.

Those people who have already requested refunds will receive checks within one week. Anyone requesting a refund now or in the future will receive that within 21 days of getting the request to us.

Some of you may feel a certain relief knowing that your money went to help Life. If you do not wish to request a refund, you do not have to do anything. If you do wish to get a refund, please email us at plsrefunds@gmail.com or write us at 542 N. Ashbury Ave, Bolingbrook, IL 60440.

Now the website itself: Sadly, the bottom line is that some of the web developers we hired for this project left our employ and changed all of the passwords to the site. This meant that for months we could not access the site, change the site, or post any new information on the site. It also meant that we could not access our list of book purchasers to notify them of the problems we were having.

As we tried to force the new passwords from these developers, the URL -- http://www.prolifesearch.com -- expired, and it seems some rock and roll site was all too ready to snatch it up because of all the traffic we created over the past 2 years.

Legally, the site now belongs to that organization. We have tried, but we cannot get it back.

The good news is that during our operation, through your support, we were able to generate over $20,000 for Pro-life charities. Good was done, and we accept responsibility (and apologize to all of you) for a rocky wind-down to our efforts.

Of course, we also hope that we might have inspired others to come up with their own ideas on how to blend every day activities and our cause for Life so that those charities on the front line of the fight have what they need to continue their good work each and every day.

I am a little sad to have to say good-bye. But ProLifeSearch was never about Jack and Joe. It was always about you. You are the ones who made any good works we did possible. And for that I just want to say Thank You.

Please go forth and continue to fight the good fight.

God bless you all,

Joe Hanley
Jack Manhire

ProLifeSearch.com, 542 N Ashbury Ave, Bolingbrook, IL 60440, USA

So feel free to contact them and request refunds. I hope that this message is sincere but I will reserve judgment on that when I hear about people receiving their requested refunds.