Dear Knights, Dames, Squires, Damsels, Postulants and Friends of our Sovereign Order and State,
The year 2012 is coming to its end. This has been a very difficult year, even tragic, both for Peoples and Nations due to the international economical crisis, so, our Humanitarian work and our Medical assistance have been in many countries, during 2012, more active than ever before and thanks to the good work, support and commitment of many of our Knights and Dames, we have grown, and we have been able to respond to the new demands and challenges which we had to face. Once more we have honoured our traditions and our glorious historical past in a very difficult period for the World.
In fact, for millions of persons who, in Africa, Asia and Latin America, were born and now live in poverty - and probably will die in misery -, this year was not different from the previous ones, but for those who, in many developed countries were born under the comfort of the middle and upper classes, studied and made their professional careers with success and stability, and now, unexpectedly have lost their jobs, or the companies they have created were forced to close doors, and so many have even lost their homes, they are now facing a future of poverty, incertitude and of no hope. Those millions of new poor are a new challenge and a new obligation to us all, Knights, Dames, Squires and Damsels, and once again, tragically, they justify our existence, our mission and our social work. We can not, and will not abandon them!
Besides all the on-going humanitarian and solidarity actions and activities which we have been implementing for several years now, during 2012, among our many positive new actions and besides the important growth of our Femeraid International, which, from this year on will count on three more new, large and important Femeraid Units, in the Republic of Malta, in the North of Italy and in Hungary, I would like to mention and to underline the growth and progress of our University and the excellent help and team work of several Knights and Dames who have collaborated in the recent registration and opening, in Central Europe, of our University Foundation, and in the due official accreditation of 14 of its courses, under the auspices of the Bologna principles, this in addition to the works to repair the building of the new University Campus that we now have, as a result of this remarkable example of the spirit of brotherhood and solidarity of our Sovereign Order and State.
However, before the New Year, we will celebrate the Christmas festivities. In fact, although being a religious Christian festivity and independently of the religion of each of our Knights and Dames, Christmas is also a sweet festivity dedicated to the Family, to Peace and to Love on Earth, while the New Year is a period of Hope in a better and more prosperous future for all. Therefore, on this occasion, as the Grand Master of our Sovereign Order and as the Head of our State, on behalf of the Structures of our Order, of our Government and of its institutions, but also in my personal name and in the name of my family, I would like to express our true gratitude to all of those who helped our Sovereign Order during 2012 to carry out so many relevant and meritorious actions and activities in 60 countries in 4 continents, and who helped the Government of our State to enlarge the number of our Embassies and to develop our institutions.
I also hope and wish that during the next year we, together, will be able to continue the positive trend of growth of KMFAP.
I sincerely wish to you and to your families, a Merry Christmas and a happy and fruitful New Year and that in your homes there will be Smiles, Love, good Health, Happiness and Prosperity in the year to come, but I ask to every and each one of you not to forget those who, for Christmas and New Year, have nothing but tears, sufferance, misery and a hopeless future, because they, too, are our brothers and sisters in this World and they need us now more than before. They are the main reason of our existence, therefore may you all keep the spirit and the meaning of Christmas in your hearts every day during 2013 and may you continue to be proud of being Knights and Dames of Saint John.
As Knights and Dames of St. John, we must never forget that more rewarding than "to have" is "to share".
SEASON'S GREETINGS FROM
