Michael Wallace Banach

Michael Wallace Banach (born November 19, 1962) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has worked in the diplomatic service of the Holy See since 1994. He has served as an observer at a United Nations agency and as apostolic nuncio to several nations in Asia, Africa and Europe.

Biography Michael Wallace Banach was born on November 19, 1962, in Worcester, Massachusetts. He was ordained on July 2, 1988, by Bishop Timothy Harrington as a priest for the Diocese of Worcester. In 1992, Banach completed his preparation for a diplomatic career for the Holy See at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome.

Diplomatic career He joined the diplomatic service of the Holy See on July 1, 1994, and fulfilled assignments in the nunciatures in Bolivia and Nigeria as well as in Rome in the Section for Relations with States of the Secretariat of State.

On February 22, 2013, Pope Benedict XVI named Banach titular archbishop of Memphis and gave him the title apostolic nuncio.

On April 16, 2013, Pope Francis appointed him as apostolic nuncio to Papua New Guinea. Banach received his episcopal consecration from Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone on April 27, 2013, in Rome. His co-consecrators were Cardinals Marc Ouellet and Fernando Filoni. On 18 May, 2013, he was given the additional responsibilities for the Solomon Islands;

On 19 March, 2016, Pope Francis appointed him apostolic nuncio to Senegal and apostolic delegate to Mauritania. On 9 July, 2016, he was assigned the additional responsibilities for Cabo Verde and on 22 August, 2016, to Guinea-Bissau. On May 13, 2017, his title in Mauritania changed from apostolic delegate to apostolic nuncio.

On May 3, 2022, he was appointed apostolic nuncio to Hungary.

On May 14, 2026, Pope Leo XIV appointed him apostolic nuncio to Argentina.