The Diocese of Arlington promotes active support of the Bánica Mission by parishioners of the many churches within the diocese. A wonderful way to give time, talent, and treasure to the Bánica Mission is through a mission trip. The Arlington Mission Offices serves as a liaison for individuals and groups wishing to conduct mission trips to the Bánica Mission and the mission itself. If you would like to find out about existing trips to Bánica, click here.
Mission Trips Overview
Most mission trips to the Bánica Mission are smaller groups conducting short-term projects. These groups come from a variety of sources including local parishes, Catholic high schools, seminaries, and college campus ministries. Trips are generally for one or two weeks.
All arrangements are made between the group leader and the pastor in the Bánica Mission. Arrangements are not organized or coordinated by our office. (Basically, our offices processes the transfer of money from mission groups to the Bánica Mission; all the planning logistics are handled directly by the Bánica Mission itself.)
The visiting groups are responsible for their own fundraising, to pay for room and board at the mission, all costs associated with the project, and their own airfare. Room and board and project costs are paid to the Arlington Mission Office at least six weeks prior to the departure date.
Procedure for Mission Trips to the Bánica Mission
While the Arlington Mission Office is often the first point of contact for groups wishing to visit the Bánica Mission, most of the planning work is conducted by the Bánica Mission itself and the group working to visit the mission.
What follows is a general overview of the process of applying for, conducting, and concluding a mission trip with the Bánica Mission, after initial communication with our office.
- The group leader contacts the Bánica Mission and provides the expected number of participants, anticipated fundraising capacity, and desired dates for the trip.
- The Bánica Mission pastor works with the mission group leader to confirm a date for the trip, selects a project that will immediately benefit the residents of the mission, and calculates the cost.
- The Bánica Mission pastor sends project proposal and budget to the Arlington Mission Office.
- If the project is approved, the Bánica Mission pastor sends the mission group leader details of the project and the cost per participant (fees).
- The group raises funds and sends a check for the fees to the Arlington Mission Office six weeks prior to departure.
- The Arlington Mission Office passes along the project fees to the Bánica Mission.
- The group visits the mission and completes the project.
Visiting Other Missions
Those groups and individuals wishing to make mission trips to missions other than the Bánica Mission can find upcoming missions with Commissioned By Christ here.