[nrhoke]

Here are some back and forth emails from the CC searcher:

Hi! I am xxxx the search caseworker for Catholic Charities. I got your message. I will be in the office on Wednesday so I can double check that we
did your sister's adoption. Unfortunately, in Pennsylvania, only the adoptee can initiate a search. Birth parents and siblings can not. What Catholic
Charities does do for birth parents and siblings is we maintain a computer database of people who have contacted the agency so that if the adoptee does
contact us, then we will know that the other family members want to be contacted and will have their current phone numbers and addresses. This
makes reuniting people really easy and no fees have to be paid either. I would recommend that you do two things once we confirm that we did the
adoption: First, I would have your mom send in a note that will be placed in the file saying that you and she want contact. Then I would give me your
current names and addresses so that I can put you guys into the database. Of course you will need to update us anytime that information changes so that
we can reach you right away. Just so you know, I would not just give your name and address out to your sister without contacting you guys first. Even
though she is a biological relative she is still a complete stranger and is important to be as cautious as you would be with any stranger.

I am sorry that this is probably depressing news and not what you were hoping to hear. It is so sad that this is the law, because so many adoptees
take the stand that they will let the birth parent contact them.

WE did what she asked and updated the file.

I do see the adoption of your sister in our index of adoptions. I will be going to the building where
the files are kept today so I will pull it and look at it to see if any contact has been made. You had mentioned that there were medical reasons for wanting to search. Are the conditions things that have a strong heredity
component to them? In the past, we have contacted adoptive parents to share a significant piece of medical information, but it has to be something like
cancer at a very young age, or a condition that it is very important that your sister know if she is planning on having children. We have past information like that before. If that is the case, I can always let the
"powers that be" know that.
I will let you know if I find anything in the file.

Medical history was sent by me and my mom.

That seems like a lot of history to me. I have printed out your letter and will talk to my director about your case. He will likely want to throw
it by the agency attorney as well, so I am not making any promise. I only see my director about one a week or so, but I will discuss this with him as
soon as I do.

Yes, I did. I found the file, but there is no mention of contact ever having been made. I will check the computer as soon as I get off of e-mail.
I will let you know if the computer "sees" something.

I checked the computer. There is not an entry. I have put you guys in it based on the info you have given so far. I will add whatever information your mom(and you) provide in the letter you are sending in.

The letter was sent by my mom.

For the letter....and it doesn't have to be in the form of a letter.....just write, I __________, give my consent to Catholic Charities to contact me if my daughter/sister ever contacts the agency seeking
information about her biological family.
We can be reached at: Then put your mom's name address and phone and then your info too. You may even want to list alternative ways to reach you
in case you ever move and forget to tell us. Then just sign it.

We do have a search fee of $300, so if I can convince
the powers that be to do a search, there will still be that fee, but if you guys had been checking out private investigators, I know they would have
been quoted you a heck of a lot more than that.

I hope we get to work together to find your sister.

Great News! I just got word from the new director that I can do a search for your sister if you guys still want me to. I will mail you the paperwork for your mom to fill out and then you can mail them back with a check to Catholic Charities.

Ok that is all the emails I received from her since the end of November when she told us about paying the $300. So, opinions are welcomed.

Thanks a ton!
Nicole