The weekend of August 21-22 we will have a second collection for the Bánica Mission in the Dominican Republic. To donate online to the Bánica Mission Annual Appeal, go to membership.faithdirect.net/givenow/VA50/39242.
Here is a brief history of the Bánica Mission. In 1991, the Diocese of Arlington adopted the parishes of Bánica and Pedro Santana, with the welcome and support of the Bishop of San Juan de la Maguana, in the Dominican Republic. Since then, the Diocese has provided priests, volunteers, and material support, and donations to the more than 13,000 faithful people living in the towns of Bánica, Pedro Santana, Sabana Cruz, and the more than 60 surrounding rural communities known as campos. The first missionary sent by Arlington was Rev. Gerard Creedon. Fr. Creedon organized the new parish of San Francisco de Asis in Bánica, and assisted in the reorganization of the existing parish of San Juan Bautista in Pedro Santana.
Here are Father Scalia’s thoughts on the importance of this Mission:
“In February of 2009 I had the privilege of visiting our diocesan missions in Bánica and Pedro Santana. With my classmate and friend Father Chris Murphy, I traveled up into the mountains, to the campos – the more than 60 surrounding rural communities that the priests could only get to once a month, at most. It was amazing to see the missionary work of the Church in the Dominican Republic. The missionaries bring the light and supernatural hope of the Gospel to the people. Their work also brings the simple helps to natural human development, such as education, infrastructure work, medicine, and so on.”
To learn more about Bánica, go to: https://arlingtonmissions.org/banica-mission/. Thank you in advance for your generosity and goodness!