Commerce for the Cause: Pro-Life Faith in the Marketplace

A Catholic couple who engages in commerce for the cause of life.

ROLLA, MO (Catholic Online) - As we continue to hold back the Culture of death and build a new Culture of Life, I am convinced of the necessity of being engaged in every segment of the culture. That includes being involved in the for profit marketplace by using "commerce for the cause". Catholic Online is a for profit company. This is partly so we will not be impeded from speaking the truth on any and all issues by a misinterpretation of the Freedoms given to everyone, including Christians, under the First Amendment. But it is also because we see our mission as involving a call to commerce.

There are many Christians engaging commerce for the cause. Let me introduce you to a Catholic couple who have spent years doing so by saving children from abortion, Joe and Jane Dalton. Theirs' is a story of surrender and sacrifice; an encouraging sign of how God uses people who say "yes" to His invitations. A little more than 10 years ago I learned of a telecommunications company, Pro Life Communications, that donated 100% of the company's profit to financially support pro-life efforts. I traveled to St. Louis to tour the facility and meet the owners of the company. Joe and Jane Dalton openly shared their compelling story of how they left successful careers to found a nationwide telecommunications company that would fund pro-life organizations with its' profits.

With no previous knowledge or experience in the telecommunications industry they sought to follow God's promptings. I returned home with my initial reservations and curiosity satisfied. Over the years I have grown to have an immense respect and admiration for both Joe and Jane Dalton and the company they founded, Pro Life Communications. Two years after its founding, Pro Life Communications had gained the endorsement of more than 500 pro-life organizations. Even though the telecom industry has undergone severe changes and many companies have collapsed, Pro Life Communications remains stable. They offer nationwide cellular service, long distance, local telephone and dial up internet services, all of which help to build a new culture of life.

Joe and Jane have a living faith which expresses itself in some unique ways in their strong marriage. For example, in early 2005 Joe, a life long resident of St. Louis, announced to Jane that he felt called to "move to the country". They prayed and she agreed. With faith and confidence in God, they put their home on the market and began their search for a new home in rural Missouri. In May of 2005, they moved their family and business to Rolla, MO. Joe sent an e-mail to the organizations they donate their profits to, alerting them of Pro Life Communications corporate office's new location. That same day he received correspondence from two pro-life leaders that they had been praying for God to provide a pro-life anchor to Rolla and that they believed Joe was that anchor.

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The Dalton's soon discovered that they had moved to a college town with no pregnancy center and a very active Planned Parenthood presence. With a clear mission before them, Joe & Jane jumped into action and started to have Pro-Life planning meetings in their home. The next year and a half was filled with numerous meetings and fund raising efforts. In February of 2007, they opened the doors to "Pregnancy Resource Center of Rolla" with Joe as the volunteer executive director and Pro Life Communications corporate office sharing the same building. Within one month of opening, PRC of Rolla became a medical facility and purchased a new ultrasound machine.

Experts had advised Joe to expect 50 clients per year. Instead, 156 clients came to PRC of Rolla in the first year. All of these women chose life for their babies. The second year of operations, PRC had 300 clients. As of June, 2009 a total of 600 women have been served. The most remarkable part of this story is that 598 babies have also been saved! Clearly, the Lord of Life continues to bless the Daltons' in their unique call. Can you even imagine calling the headquarters of your telecommunications company and knowing that it's likely that a woman considering an abortion is being counseled to choose life or that a lifesaving ultrasound is being performed within the same building?

Let me conclude with just one miracle from Rolla, Missouri, the story of baby Kaylee.

Kelly's Story

With an abortion scheduled for the next day, a friend (acting on the advice of his Priest) brought Kelly and her husband to Pregnancy Resource center of Rolla, MO. She was firm in her decision to abort her child and her husband agreed with her decision. They seemed unmovable. After an hour long counseling session, she was asked if she wanted an ultrasound. Since she did not agree with the conception date she had been given by Planned Parenthood she consented. She was intrigued by what the Pregnancy Resource Center's estimated conception date would be. She explained that Planned Parenthood quoted a much higher charge for an abortion of a baby more than 8 weeks gestation and she believed she was less than 8 weeks pregnant.

As the ultrasound began, Kelly refused to look at the screen staring blankly at the ceiling. Her husband was in the room and was quite interested in what he was seeing. Finally he asked "is that a hand or a foot we are looking at"? The counselor who was performing the ultrasound replied, "...that's her hand daddy . . . and look at how she is waving at you!" Kelly then looked at the ultrasound screen and instantly fell in love with her baby girl, Kaylee. The counselor reported that Kelly's flesh tone instantly changed from a pale gray to the warm glow of a pregnant mom!

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Kelly left behind 15 years of drug abuse and is now a productive member of society. She is working full time helping the handicap. This was just the beginning of the journey for Kelly. Here, in her own words, Kelly shares her story of hope. YouTube Video - www.youtube.com/watch?v=20APuF758r8

To contact Joe Dalton directly call 877-878-LIFE (5433) X-12. Their web site is www.prolifecomm.com. If you wish to make a donation to Pregnancy Resource Center of Rolla to help a woman like Kelly, the address is 1501 E. 10th Street, Suite D, Rolla MO 65401.

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