Contact: Mike McMonagle, 484-680-8914; Rev. Patrick Mahoney, 540-538-4741; Kim Savage, 610-513-9094

PHILADELPHIA, June 9, 2015 /Christian Newswire/ -- The ME initially held the bodies for Gosnell's trial, which ended in May 2013.  However, the ME declined requests from local and national pro-life organizations and Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput to release the bodies of these babies for burial.  The ME also declined to provide any public information on their plans to dispose of these bodies. 

Activists are troubled that the City of Philadelphia kept this burial a secret and did not afford these children the dignity they deserved with and memorial opened to the public.

Local and national pro-life organizations plan to have a news conference at the cemetery where the children are buried and also a public witness at the burial site. This will take place Wednesday, June 10, at 11:00 A.M. at the Laurel Hill Cemetery at 3822 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia 19132.  The participants will gather at the Visitors Center and make the short walk to the graveside of the children.  

Mike McMonagle, the Director of Philly Alive, states;

"We are grateful that the Medical Examiner has finally buried the bodies of these babies.  Nevertheless, the burial should not have occurred without public notice.

"We plan to remind the church - and all of our fellow citizens - of the humanity of these children by this event and a Memorial Service on Friday, September 25, 2015 at 4:00 PM after the World Meeting of Families conference is concluded."

Rev. Patrick Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition based in Washington, D.C. adds;

"Although we are thankful that these 47 children no longer remain in the Philadelphia morgue, it is very troubling that they were buried in secret.  It is our intention to that they would be honored as members of the human family and afforded a public Memorial Service. 

" On September 26, we are inviting the pro-life community and all people of good will from across the nation to participate in one of the largest Memorial Services that the City of Philadelphia has ever seen during Philly Alive. Philly Alive will be a three day pro-life event in September after the World Meeting of Families.  We will also be inviting Pope Francis to attend and be part of this service while he is visiting the city." 

For additional information or interviews contact:

Mike McMonagle at (C) 484-680-8914,

Rev. Patrick Mahoney at (C) 540-538-4741 

Kim Savage at (C) 610-513-9094.