For your diary

• The Gozitan Graduates Movement invites graduates and members of all professions in Gozo for First Friday Mass to be celebrated in Maltese by Fr Geoffrey Attard. It will be held at St Augustine’s church, Victoria, on Friday at 8.30 p.m.

• A short film about the Catholic underground church in China will be shown. at St Aloysius’ College Sixth Form auditorium, B’kara on Saturday at 6.30 p.m. Afterwards, Sr Lucie Zong, a Chinese nun studying in Paris, will share her experiences about what it means to be a Catholic in China today. Prayers and light refreshments will follow. The public is invited to the event, which is organised by the Jesuit Magazine RM2000-Lil-Ħbiebna. For further information contact the editor Fr Paul Chetcuti, SJ, on 7982 6899.

• Fr Joe Buttigieg, OFM Cap, will deliver four one-hour lectures in Maltese on the subject ‘Prayers of Intercession’ at St Francis Centre, Quarries Street, Ħamrun, every Tuesday starting on October 5 at 7.15 p.m. Attendance is free. For details call Edwin Attard on 2123 0862.

• The National Council of Women is organising a public dialogue entitled ‘Women and Mental Health’ at Dar l-Ewropa, Valletta, on October 6 from 8.30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Participation is free. For more information and booking call the NCW office on 2124 8881 or 2124 6982 or e-mail ncwmalta@camline.net.mt.

• A card party in aid of the Little Sisters of the Poor will be held at the Preluna Hotel, Sliema, on October 6 from 10 a.m. For booking, call Blanche Martin on 2133 0387.

• The St Joseph School Past Pupils’ Association (Sliema) will be holding a fundraising pasta night in aid of the missions run by the Sisters of St Joseph in Ethiopia, on October 8 at 8 p.m., at the Radisson Blu Resort, St Julian’s. For more information, call Bertha Darmanin on 9946 5234 or Mariella Abela on 2138 4435 or 7970 2579. Bookings close on October 4.

• A retreat using Marian iconography led by Fr Gerry Buhagiar, rector of Ta’ Pinu Sanctuary, will be held at Manresa retreat house, Victoria from October 15 to 17 . For details contact Fr Anthony Cilia on Tel 2155 6635 or e-mail manresagozo@gmail.com.

• The Association of Lyceum Past Students will be holding an Annual General Reunion on October 23 at the Lyceum, Ħamrun. Mass at 7 p.m. and will be followed by a reception. A special invitation is extended to those ex-students whose 50th anniversary of entering or leaving the Lyceum occurs this year. Donations €7 per person. Further information is available from Alex Borg, secretary general on 2138 6812 or e-mail alps@global.net. mt.

• The Malta branch of the International Al Jolson Society will be holding its annual ‘Al Jolson Malta Gathering’ on October 24 at the Royal British Legion, 111 Melita Street, Valletta. This will mark 60 years since the society’s foundation and will also commemorate the 60th anniversary of Al Jolson’s demise.

• The Missions Office of Valletta requires teachers, ex-teachers and students to promote the missions in schools, a number of volunteers to animate during Missionary Village activities from October 24 to 27 and participants in Mixja għall-Missjoni to be held on October 17. Call Lisa Pace on 2123 6962, 9999 1979 or e-mail lisa@missio.org.mt.

• A retreat for married couples, led by Carmen and Karm Conti and Fr Vince Magri, SJ, will be held from October 29 at 6 p.m. to October 31 at 5 p.m. at Manresa retreat house, Victoria. For details contact Fr Anthony Cilia on Tel 2155 6635 or e-mail manresagozo@gmail.com.

• A day of prayer and adoration will be held at the Seminary, Tal-Virtù, Rabat, on Thursday to pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life. It starts with a Mass at 9.30 a.m. and concludes with another Mass at 7.15 p.m.