A new monument has been added at the new Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery just outside of Palmerton.

The Knights of Columbus' Memorial of the Unborn is located in a quiet section near the east side of the cemetery on Stoney Ridge Road.It was built in commemoration of the holy innocents who have lost their lives by abortion.The Lafayette Council of the Knights of Columbus 2522 was instrumental in seeing the special project from beginning to end.At this time, the council has fifteen active members and is headed by Grand Knight, Color Monitor, and 4th Division, George Kattner."This project has been underway for quite some time and we are pleased that we were able to see it to the finish," said Kattner.The granite memorial stands over three feet high and houses a statue of the Blessed Mother holding a tiny infant in her arms.The inscription reads "Unborn children who have had their lives taken away are today's Holy Innocents."Holy Innocents is in reference to the commemoration of the slaughter of male infants in Bethlehem during Herod's attempt to kill the baby Jesus.Sacred Heart Pastor, the Reverend William T. Campion dedicated the memorial during a small service that took place at the cemetery on the feast of All Souls."Abortions are our 'Holy Innocents' and we as Catholics respect the dignity of human life from birth to death," said Father Campion.For over thirty years, Past Grand Knight of the 4th division, Al Kohler has been in support of building a pro-life monument to be placed in the cemetery."I am speechless. This has been a dream of mine for such a long time and now it has materialized," Kohler gratefully added.Long time K of C member and Chansler, John Porambo was instrumental in the design and overseeing the actual building of the monument and the area in which it would be placed."We have the memorial in a quiet, serene area at the cemetery. It is not just for the babies lost to abortion. It is for anyone who has lost a baby," said PoramboOne of the main goals for the Knights of Columbus is the support of the pro-life movement.The K of C is the world's largest Catholic non-profitable, charitable, fraternal service organization throughout the world. It was founded in the United States in 1882 and is named in honor of Christopher Columbus.The Sacred Heart Knights of Columbus of Palmerton, which was founded in 1924, is just one of over 14,000 councils around the world that make service to their community a top priority.Men wanting to learn more about the Knights of Columbus organization can call Father Champion at 610-826-2335.