For your diary - events and seminars

• A Mass and an adoration led by Fr Tonio Mifsud, OFM Conv, will be held at St Francis church, Msida Road, Birkirkara, today from 2 until 5 p.m. All are welcome.

• Volunteers from Volserv who work in the Psychiatric Unit at Mater Dei Hospital will display items made by patients in the ward as part of ‘Love is: understanding mental illness’, tomorrow. Red roses will be given to visitors to the stand which will be in the main entrance of Mater Dei from 10 a.m. to noon. The objective of this project is to try and stop the stigma which mental health attracts and to promote the work done by volunteers, not just in this ward but throughout the hospital.

• The Malta Floral Club is having a card and games party at Villa Arrigo, San Pawl Tat-Tarġa, on Tuesday at 10.30 a.m. Members and their friends are asked to book early by phoning Lily de’ Conti Manduca on 2135 4160 or Monica Chetcuti on 2148 8089.

• The Emigrant Commission will be giving a course preparing Maltese youths for marriage with foreign people. The course begins on Tuesday. For more information, call 2122 2644, 2124 0255 or 2123 2545 or e-mail cecmalta@mecmalta.com.

• The BOV Valletta Fund Management Philately Club is holding a meeting at the Fatima Sanctuary Convent, Guardamangia, on Tuesday at 6 p.m. For more information call 7931 5509.

• An evening of prayer for peace and new evangalisation of the world organised by the International, Movement of Prayer Blessed Pope John XXIII, will be held in the basement chapel of Sarria church, Floriana, on Wednesday from 5.15 to 6.15 p.m. Everyone is invited.

• Stars and Stripes Malta will be holding its first anniversary dinner at Brookies restaurant in Victoria on Friday. Members, their family and friends will meet over dinner in order to discuss how Stars and Stripes Malta can assist them. Attending will be guests from the US Embassy. To confirm attendance, call 9949 6890 or 9943 3315 or e-mail dinner@starsandstripesmalta.com.

• A silent retreat led by Fr Alex Refalo aimed at teaching participants how to use the Lectio Divina method of reading the sacred Scriptures will be held at Manresa retreat house, Victoria, from Friday after dinner, to February 20 after lunch. For bookings call Fr Anthony Cilia, SJ, on Tel. 2155 6635 or e-mail manresagozo@gmail.com.

• Maltese contemporary historians will discuss the history of the Labour Party in Malta during a book launch entitled History of the Labour Party by Mario Cutajar. Godfrey Pirotta, Reno Borg, Henry Frendo and Toni Abela will present their interpretation of Maltese contemporary history at the Labour HQ, Ħamrun, on Saturday at 10 a.m. Historian Mario Vella will chair the discussion. The launch will coincide with a visual exhibition on the history of the Labour Party in Malta and a book fair at the HQ.

• The Malta Heart Foundation is organising a gala dinner at the Westin Dragonara, St Julian’s, on Saturday . Will Axon, of BBC’s Flog It, will be holding the auction and the proceeds will go towards funds needed for the purchase of an aortic balloon pump, which costs some €45,000. Tickets are €50. To book, call 7927 2406.

• The Missions Office is holding an activity to raise missionary awareness in its audio-visual hall at No 7, Merchants Street, Valletta, on February 23 at 6 p.m. Clifford Galea will talk about his experience in four African countries and Mgr Salvinu Micallef will discuss his recent visits to India and Sri Lanka. A Powerpoint presentation will be shown and refreshments will be served after the event. Entrance is free by confirming attendance on 2123 6962.

• A weekend retreat of reflection and discussion for families with children, led by Fr Paul Chetcuti, SJ, will be held at Manresa retreat house, Victoria, from February 25 to February 27 after lunch. It will tackle questions such as how couples can live together despite their differences, forgiving and forgetting hurts, conflict-solving, coping with expenses and the rat-race of daily life, how to raise children, the internet, and God’s involvement in all this. For bookings call Fr Anthony Cilia, SJ, on Tel. 2155 6635 or e-mail manresagozo@gmail.com.

• The Lay Fraternity of Charles de Foucauld is organising a series of reflections around the theme ‘The Gospel and Sustainable Development’. Meetings will be held at the Seminary, Tal-Virtu’, on February 27 and April 3. Fr Edgar Busuttil, Fr Ugolin Scerri, and Dr Edward Warrington will each lead a reflection. Each meeting starts with silent adoration and ends with Mass. There will be a coffee break. For more information call 2123 3666 or 9942 8389 or e-mail annepac@maltanet.net.

• A card party in aid of the Little Sisters of the Poor will be held at the Preluna Hotel, Sliema, on March 2 from 10 a.m. For booking, call Blanche Martin on 2133 0387.

• The Centre of Ignatian Spirituality is holding a weekend seminar on the main theological tenets of the book of Deuteronomy linked to select themes from the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius. It will be delivered in English by Prof. Anthony Frendo, head of the University’s Department of Oriental Studies, between March 4 at 6.30 p.m. and March 6 at 2.30 p.m. at Mt St Joseph Jesuit Spirituality Centre, Tarġa Gap, Mosta. To book, phone 2141 6916 between 8.30 a.m. and 1 p.m. or e-mail info@mtsjoseph.org.

• A reunion for pupils who were in Year 1 during 1969/70 at Sliema Government School is being held soon. Please call Mary Rose Debono (nee Grech) on 7926 3223 or e-mail debonomaryrose@yahoo.com.

• Mater Admirabilis Training College students of 1959 to 1961will be holding a reunion in June 2011 to mark the 50th anniversary of their graduation. For more details, call 2133 1888 or 2189 6436 or send an e-mail to matc1959to1961@gmail.com.