Thirty-two former fifth formers of the Jesuit-run St Aloysius College, Birkirkara, in 1961, held a reunion on June 16 to mark the 50th anniversary of their last day of school.

Two of them, Sidney Muscat and Victor Sammut, came all the way from Australia to join their former classmates in marking the event.

The former classmates, most of whom were accompanied by their wives, gathered at the Jesuit Fathers’ Loyola House in Naxxar. There they started the day by attending a Thanksgiving Mass in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Wayside, concelebrated by three of their number – Mgr Victor Zammit McKeon, Fr Lino Cardona and Fr Christopher Galdes.

They were assisted by Fr Joseph Orr and Canon Joseph Micallef, the last surviving members of the college teaching staff of 1961.

Fr Robert Wirth also assisted during Mass which was animated by Klaus Vella Bardon on the accordion and by Victor Sammut and Joe Vella, who led the choir singing.

After Mass, Joe Pavia, one of the old boys, took over 170 photographs of the occasion, which will long be remembered by those who took part in it.

Later the 60-strong group met for lunch at Lo Squero Restaurant in Floriana, where besides catching up on the news of those present and reminiscing on their last year at St Aloysius’, they enjoyed a sumptuous meal prepared by Italian chef Angelo Vittadello.