In observation of the feast-day of St. John the Baptist, patron saint of the Order of Malta, His Holiness John Paul II received in audience the Grand Master of the Order, Fra’ Andrew Bertie, accompanied by the members of the Sovereign Council.

ADDRESS OF JOHN PAUL II TO HIS MOST EMINENT HIGHNESS FRA’ ANDREW BERTIE, PRINCE AND GRAND MASTER OF THE SOVEREIGN ORDER OF MALTA

Your Highness,

I am particularly pleased to welcome you and I thank you for your visit, which gives me an opportunity to repeat the esteem and gratitude I feel towards the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. I cordially greet you and extend my affectionate thoughts to those who have kindly accompanied you.

I willingly make the most of this occasion to convey my greeting to all the members of this worthy Institution who work in various parts of the world. The Holy See appreciates the many services it renders to the cause of evangelization and, in particular, the numerous beneficial initiatives that it constantly promotes for the needy.

I gladly assure you of my remembrance in prayer so that God, through the intercession of Mary Most Holy, will bless every good work of your Sodality, as I encourage you to persevere with generosity on your journey of fidelity to Christ and to his Church.

With these sentiments, I warmly impart a special Apostolic Blessing to you, to your collaborators and to the entire Sovereign Military Order of Malta.