By CatholicPhilly Staff Report • Posted April 7, 2026

Today, Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez announced the appointment of Reverend Eric J. Banecker as the next Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia effective June 15, 2026. He will succeed Reverend Philip G. Bochanski, who has served in that role since the spring of 2023. Father Bochanski will be appointed as a pastor in June.

In making this appointment, Archbishop Pérez said, “Caring for the faithful of the Church of Philadelphia is both a joy and a great responsibility. I am blessed to share that responsibility with faithful auxiliary bishops and a dedicated senior staff. I thank Father Bochanski for his dedicated service as Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia over these past three years. He is a man of faith and deep learning, and I know that he will be a good shepherd for the souls entrusted to his pastoral care.

I ask our bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated religious, and lay faithful to extend a warm welcome to Father Banecker as he takes on this important role. Father Banecker has served the Church faithfully as a parish priest and in various ministerial capacities and leadership roles. He is a faithful priest with many pastoral gifts and administrative talents. I am grateful for Father Banecker’s willingness to take on this new responsibility and confident in his abilities. I ask that you join me in praying that his work will bear great fruit.”

In reaction to his new assignment, Father Banecker said, “I am humbled by the Archbishop’s appointment and his confidence in me. It will be hard to step away from parish ministry, which has been a source of great joy in my life for the past eight years. In particular, to the many faithful families of Saint Mary Magdalen Parish, I offer deep and sincere gratitude for embracing me as one of your own during my time as pastor. I am sad that our time together was brief, but I look forward to staying in contact as I begin this new ministry of service to our entire local church.

Archbishop Pérez has placed Missionary Discipleship at the heart of his pastoral leadership, and I am excited to support him in that work. While we have many communities and ministries within the Archdiocese, the goal of them all is the same: to make disciples for Jesus Christ who know Him, love Him, and invite others to encounter Him fully in the Eucharist. I am aware of my shortcomings, but I also know that the Holy Spirit has accompanied me on the great adventure of Christian life and will continue to do so as I begin this new role.”

Background Regarding Reverend Eric J. Banecker

Father Banecker was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia by Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M., Cap. He has served in parish ministry as Parochial Vicar of Saint Pius X Parish in Broomall; Parochial Administrator and later Pastor of Saint Francis de Sales Parish in West Philadelphia; and Pastor of Saint Mary Magdalen Parish in Media.

Father Banecker has deep roots in Philadelphia, where his parents, brother and sister still live. A native of Epiphany of Our Lord Parish in South Philadelphia and a graduate of Roman Catholic High School, he attended the University of Pennsylvania where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and Classical Studies. Following his studies at Penn, he was accepted into the program of priestly formation at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. There he earned Master of Divinity and Master of Arts Degrees and served as Editor of the Seminary’s official blog. Father Banecker has continued to write on a variety of topics. His work has been featured in publications such as CatholicPhilly, The Catholic Herald, Our Sunday Visitor, First Things, and What We Need Now.

In addition to ministry at the parish level, Father Banecker is actively involved with various Catholic organizations, including chaplaincy roles for the Philadelphia chapters of Young Catholic Professionals and SENT as well as the Federal Association of the Order of Malta.

He currently serves on the Boards of Trustees for the Collegium Institute for Catholic Thought and Culture at the University of Pennsylvania, the Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia, and Dappled Things. He is also a member of the Advisory Boards for the Penn Newman Center and the John Cardinal Foley Chair for Homiletics and Social Communications at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary.

Contextual Background Regarding the Offices of Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia

Vicar General

Every diocese throughout the Roman Catholic Church is required to have at least one vicar general as mandated by The Code of Canon Law. The vicar general is required to be a priest and is the highest-ranking official in diocesan governance after the local diocesan bishop and his auxiliary bishops.

Moderator of the Curia

The Moderator of the Curia serves as the chief operating officer for the administrative offices in a diocese. He facilitates communication among departments, advises the diocesan bishop, and serves as a crucial bridge in ensuring the bishop’s pastoral priorities are integrated into the administrative structures of the diocese. He also assists in caring for the clergy and making personnel decisions.