Saturday as part of the celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Lesly Condé, the Consul General of Haiti in Chicago, delivered a message to the Church of Our Lady of Peace.

Message from the Consul Condé :

"Dear friends of Haiti,

Friends of Haiti,

My brothers and sisters,

Ladies and gentlemen,

We are gathered here once again to celebrate Our Lady Of Perpetual Help. As always, I am thrilled to share your company because together, we can elevate our voices to Haiti's Patron Saint, thank her for all the favors that she has already granted us, and ask her for her continued protection. I am quite pleased to bring you warm greetings from the Consulate General of Haiti in Chicago.

On behalf of the Chicago Haitian Community, I must, first and foremost, thank the heads of this church who accompany us every year as we celebrate Haiti's Patron Saint to whom our nation owes gratitude and faithfulness. We rely on her kindness that has guided our parents, and that will certainly guide the future generations.

Just like every year, I feel so thrilled to be surrounded by familiar faces, beautiful faces, smiling faces. I take this opportunity to welcome all those who, for the first time, are attending the Celebration of Our Lady Of Perpetual Help along with the Chicago Haitian Community.

Today we have a 213 year old nation that has endured more than its share of adversities of all sorts. Born on the first day of January 1804 in a world still attached to the unfair system of exploitation of humans by humans that it has fought and defeated, Haiti has always been a lonesome and misunderstood country. Our Lady Of Perpetual Help has been accompanying Haiti since day one. If we are still present among the nations of the world despite our numerous adversities, we owe it to our Patron Saint. Today, we are here to thank her.

In closing, I thank you all for being here, and urge you to keep praying Our Lady Of Perpetual Help, and asking her to watch over Haiti. Whatever you do, wherever you are, remember our country."

IH/ iciHaiti