Dear Knights and Dames of Our Sovereign Order,

As the year 2008 is coming to an end We would like, first of all, to express Our gratitude and appreciation to all of you, for your commitment and support to the Federation and to its Humanitarian Work in various countries during the present year, having in mind that in the difficult times of the present deep economical crisis, our work and our actions are more needed than ever.

For this Season of joy and festivities and for the year to come, We want to bring to each of you Our sincere wishes of Prosperity, Love, Happiness, correct Tolerances, correct Intolerances, and Courage.

We wish you Courage, because in such difficult times, we all need courage to defend and observe the principles of honesty, of loyalty, of brotherhood, of real service to the ill and needy and to promote Peace, as it is our obligation as Knights and Dames. 

Courage to work for a better and more fair World. Courage to make the difference in these troubled times.

We wish you correct Tolerances and correct Intolerances, because everybody else seems to choose to take the wrong options, tolerating corruption, greed, poverty, child abuse, violence, dishonesty, incompetence, environmental agressions, bad policies and even genocide, while they are intolerant  regarding  cultural and racial differences, religious, ideological,  political and other private options that constitute part of the Human Rights. 

As Knights and Dames we have to make the correct choices and we must tolerate, accept and understand the differences and respect the options and the rights of all, but, at the same time, we must be intolerant with all iniquity, misery, violence and perversity. No man has the right to kill or discriminate in name of his God or in name of his ideology, no State, no institution or organization has the right to become rich in the name or at the costs of the poor.

We wish you Happiness, sure that no man can be really and entirely happy, knowing that other men and children suffer and starve, but also sure that to help and assist those in need brings fulfilment and happiness to one's hearts, so, complete happiness can only be achieved and found in the company of your loved ones, but also in contributing to minorate the suffering and the needs of others.

As Knights and Dames we must promote our happiness but we must not forget to promote also the happiness of the others.

We wish you Love, not only the love for your families, but also the love for the large family of the human beings and love for the Nature that surrounds us.

We all tend to build walls around us to protect ourselves and our loved ones - and we call this Love -, instead of building bridges towards our fellow men.  As Knights and Dames we must build bridges and destroy the walls that divide and separate men, instead of protecting.

Finally We wish you Prosperity, sure that the real prosperity resides in Having, but also in Sharing with those who have nothing.

May you never forget that you are Knights and Dames of St. John and, as such, it is our duty and obligation to honour and deserve the glorious past and the example of thousands of Knights before us for almost one thousand years.

Furthermore, We remaind you all that one hundred years ago, the representatives of different Autonomous Hereditary Priories, lawful descendents and representatives of the old Order of Saint John of Jerusalem - and as such recognized by courts of law and monarchs of different countries -,  also known as Hospitallers or Knights of Malta, gathered in New York and between the end of 1908 and 1911, they decided to unite their historical Priories in a Federation.

In order to celebrate this important event in the proper and correct manner, We have the honour and the pleasure of announcing that from 2009 until 2011 the Federation will celebrate its 100th  Anniversary.

Yours in St. John

H.E.H. José , Prince Grand Master