Since 1991, the Diocese of Arlington has provided pastors to the parishes of San Francisco de Asis in Bánica and San Jose in Pedro Santana. Fr. Stephen McGraw has been serving in the mission since 2017. In June of 2023 Fr. Scott Sina joined Fr. McGraw in Bánica. Read more about our Mission priests below.
REV. STEPHEN MCGRAW
Father Stephen Francis McGraw, of St. John the Beloved parish in McLean, Virginia, was ordained a priest of the Arlington Diocese on June 9, 2001. He served as Parochial Vicar at St. Anthony of Padua in Falls Church, St. Leo the Great in Fairfax, St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Fredericksburg, and Holy Family in Dale City. After two years back at St. Anthony of Padua as Parochial Administrator, Father McGraw served as Chaplain of his alma mater, Christendom College, from 2014 to 2017. Having offered to serve the diocesan mission in the Dominican Republic, Father was named Pastor of San Jose Catholic Church in Pedro Santana in July of 2017.
Rev. Scott Sina
Fr. Sina was born on October 30, 1973 in Williamsville, NY. He was raised Catholic and graduated from Williamsville South High School in 1991. He received a B.A. in Political Philosophy from Washington & Lee University in Lexington, VA in 1995 and an M.A. in Legal and Political Theory from University College London in the UK in 1996. He then returned to Washington & Lee University to attend the School of Law, receiving a J.D. in 2000. Afterwards, he practiced law in Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland, primarily focusing on commercial litigation and construction-related issues. He attended Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Maryland from 2008 to 2014 and was ordained to the priesthood on June 7, 2014. Prior to the Bánica Mission, he served as a parochial vicar at St. John the Beloved in McLean, St. Agnes in Arlington, and St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Fredericksburg, and as Chaplain of the St. Thomas More Guild for Legal Professionals. Fr. Sina arrived in Bánica in June 2023.
