The celebration of the New Year had added meaning for Alessandro Manzi and Dominic Mavula, two Missionaries of the Precious Blood.  On January 5, 2017 Dominic Mavula was definitively incorporated into the Missionaries of the Precious Blood.  He is from Bagamoyo, Tanzania, which was the location for the first Catholic mission in East Africa.  He began formation with the Congregation in 2007.  

The following day, January 6, Mavula and Alessandro Manzi, C.PP.S., of the Italian Province, were ordained to the diaconate at Precious Blood Parish in Itigi, Tanzania.  Manzi is from Cesena, Italy and he spent several years working with the Missionaries of the Precious Blood in Tanzania before moving back to Italy.  He is currently the house treasurer at the Italian Province’s collegio in Rome. 

Dozens of Missionaries from both Tanzania and Italy joined with friends and parishioners for the celebration.  Bishop Edward Mapunda of the Diocese of Singida presided at the liturgy.  May God continue to bless the newly ordained deacons.