About Us - Parish Staff

Fr. Ted Schmitt - Pastor
Fr. Ted Schmitt offers an unconventional and dynamic background to his ministry. Motion picture executive, nationally recognized entrepreneur, high school football coach, world traveler, and accomplished athlete. Fr. Ted brought this wealth of life experience with him as he entered St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, to realize the greatest achievement and blessing of his life.

In 1998, Fr. Ted found that the calling, which had whispered to him throughout his life, now had become a bold invitation to meet his destiny, to become an agent for the Lord and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He entered the seminary where he earned an S.T.B. Degree, conferred in association with Rome. After completing an accelerated five-year course of study in four years, Fr. Ted Schmitt, at age 58, was ordained by Francis Cardinal George at Holy Name Cathedral on May 18, 2002.

Fr. Ted's first assignment took him to Arlington Heights where he was Associate Pastor of St. James Parish and Vicar of Education for the parish elementary school of 700 children.

In 2005, Father Ted became Pastor of St. Monica's, a vibrant and growing parish of 2100 families on the northwest side of Chicago not far from where he had grown up.

Fr. Ted moved back to the northwest suburbs when he became Pastor here at St. John the Evangelist in July 2010.

Fr. Piotr Gnoinski
Father Piotr Gnoinski (pronounced Peter Noinski) was born in Poland in September 1978. He grew up on a farm in a small town, Podborze in Olesno parish. He has two brothers and three sisters and he describes his parents as traditional and religious people who are faithful to God and to their country.

During his youth, Father Piotr’s parents served as his first teachers of faith in action. They attended Mass every Sunday and prayed the Rosary as a family almost every night. His parents also had a motto of ‘ora et labora’ (work and pray), teaching him how to change prayer into service and service into love. Father Piotr says that the hard work on the farm taught him patience, perseverance, and sacrifice.

Father Piotr was also influenced by the example of many of the devoted priests in his parish of Olesno who became missionaries and he felt a calling to do the same. He completed Civic Engineering Technical High School then entered the Major Seminary with the intention of being a missionary priest in Latin America. However, when he heard about Cardinal George’s invitation to become a priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago where there is a shortage of priests, he took time to consider a new ‘missionary’ destination. After careful discernment, Fr. Piotr understood that God was calling him to a different mission - in Chicago.

In 2000, Fr. Piotr arrived in Chicago and entered the Bishop Abramowicz Seminary where he studied language for one year then was accepted to the University of Saint Mary of the Lake – Mundelein Seminary. In May of 2005 he was ordained a priest and then assigned to St. Francis Borgia Parish. On May 24, 2011 Fr. Piotr was appointed as Associate Pastor at St. John’s.

Deacon Larry Rybicki - Business Manager
Deacon Larry Rybicki brings a wide range of skills to the position of Business Manager. Larry has over 30 years experience in the IT field. He started his career in computer operations and programming. His acknowledged people skills and his ability to develop and implement innovative solutions quickly lead to a series of management positions leading IT computer security teams across the US and Canada.

In November 2008 then Pastor Fr. Robert Tonelli, asked Deacon Larry to become Business Manager of St. John’s. As Business Manager, he has developed and submitted plans to revitalize our school and to balance the budget to fully meet our financial obligations as a parish.

Deacon Larry and his wife Mary have been an integral part of St. John’s community for over 30 years. Together they raised their three children at St. John’s. Beginning in 1994, Larry entered the Deacon Formation Program and studied at University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. He completed his studies and was ordained in April 1998 as a Permanent Deacon. Since his ordination, Deacon Larry has served at St. John’s and has also been appointed the Deanery Deaconate Coordinator for Vicariate 1E by Francis Cardinal George.

In addition to his involvement in St. John’s and the Archdiocese, he has also been very active in the local community. He served as a Streamwood Plan Commissioner from 1992 through 1999 and as an elected Streamwood Village Trustee from 1999 through 2007.

Larry hails from the ‘Southside’ of Chicago where he attended St. Michael’s Catholic school in the “Back of the Yards” neighborhood. His family moved to Southern California where he attended high school and junior college. He returned to Chicago in 1971 and attended the Computer Tech Institute, graduating in 1972.

Mary Ellyn Billmeyer - School Principal
Mary Ellyn Billmeyer received her B.A. in Elementary Education and Social Work from Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa. After teaching for a few years, she enrolled at Concordia University in River Forest, Ill., to pursue her Master's Degree. After several years of hard work and long hours of study, she was awarded a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Administration and Supervision.

She started her career as a primary teacher and taught Kindergarten and grades 1, 3, 4, and 6. She became the principal at St. Hubert School in Hoffman Estates and remained there for twelve years. She was also the principal at St. Theresa Parish and most recently at St. Peter the Apostle School in Itasca, unfortunately, last year the Diocese of Joliet closed St. Peter's school.

Mary Ellyn and her husband Brian have been married for over 30 years and have two grown children, Jonathan and Jennifer.

Catholic education is a priority for Mary Ellyn and she is firmly committed to ensuring that Catholic education is available to all children for many years to come. She is excited and confident about making St. John's School one of the most vibrant schools in the Northwest Suburbs.

Patricia Schaff - Director of Religious Education
Patricia Schaff is entering her tenth year as Director of Religious Education for St. John's. She previously served the community as the Sacrament Coordinator. She has been involved in catechetical work as a volunteer and a professional for over thirty-five years.

Pat's ministry as a catechist led her to pursue an undergraduate degree in Education and a graduate degree in Religious Studies. She has continued her pastoral studies through the Archdiocese of Chicago and Loyola University New Orleans (Holy Family Campus). She is currently enrolled in the Chicago Scripture School as a third-year student.

Pat and her husband, Al, raised two sons, Joe and Jim, in St. John's Parish. Her family has been a part of St. John's since they moved to Streamwood in 1969.

While her adult involvement in parish life has been entirely at St. John's, she has worked with four different pastors and numerous associate pastors each with his own vision and individual contribution to St. John's parish and its people.

Pat believes the goal of St. John's School of Religion is to help parents, children, and catechists enter into an ever deepening and more meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ and His Catholic Community. While it is important to know what our faith is about, it is just as important for us to know how to live out that faith in our daily lives.

Mary Rybicki - Sacrament Coordinator
Mary Rybicki has been active in ministry at St. John's for 30 years. She is the wife of Deacon Larry Rybicki and has earned her Certificate in Pastoral Studies from the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary.

As Sacrament Coordinator, she directs activities for the families of St. John's to help parents and children witness and understand the sacraments. Mary brings wisdom and experience that helps children and parents come to see that the sacraments are communal celebrations of God's love in their life.

Mary brings practical experience to her position in addition to her educational background, having raised three children in the parish. Her active participation in parish life over the years continues to inspire Mary and she says, "I believe that the Spirit is alive, vibrant, and growing at St. John's. It empowers us, enlivens us, and feeds us. I am blessed to be a part of this parish family."

Elizabeth DeSimon - Youth Ministry Coordinator
Elizabeth (Liz) DeSimon is passionate about her faith and loves sharing it with teens! She and her husband, Richard have been married for 26 years and have three children of their own. She has lived in Bartlett for 21 years and is a very active parishioner at St. Peter Damian.

In the spring of 2001, Liz played a key role in retaining Cultivation Ministries, consultants for Youth Ministry, at St. Peter Damian. The goal was to form a dynamic, disciple-making youth ministry based on the USCCB document, “Renewing the Vision: A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry”. She also began a two year training process to become a Youth Minister. She completed her training in May of 2003.

C.R.U.S.H. (Catholic Religion Understood Spiritually Here) was founded in the fall of 2001. The name was chosen by the founding peer ministry team and the first event they planned was a Hayride. In this busy and connected world, C.RU.S.H. gives the teens a place where Jesus can dwell in the hearts of His young people.

In response to the need of our youth in the larger community, C.R.U.S.H. joined together with the teens at St. John the Evangelist in July of 2010. Next year, in 2012 C.R.U.S.H. will be celebrating their 10 Year Anniversary!

Liz is looking forward to a new role this September when she becomes a grandmother for the first time.

Marilu Arendt - Liturgy Director
Marilu Arendt has been involved in liturgical ministries during many of her 35 years as a parishioner at St. John the Evangelist. She has been a Lector and a Eucharistic Minister, as well as, teaching religious education. Marilu also raised four children at St. John's.

Since 1980, Liturgy has been the central focus for Marilu. She became a liturgy planner 30 years ago. She became the Liturgy Director on staff 14 years ago.

Marilu was part of the pilot program in 1985 for the Liturgical Institute at the Unversity of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary, a two year program covering all aspects of liturgy. She continues to enhance her educational background by attending workshops, lectures, vicariate staff days and religious retreats.

Marilu enjoys spending time with her seven grandchildren during her time off work.

Nancy Licht - Music Director
Nancy Licht has embraced music all her life. She began studying music at the age of 5 and continued her formal music education through college. She atteneded Catholic school from grade school to college and graduated from Briar Cliff University with a Bachelor of Science Degree.

In 1966, she married her husband Wally and soon afterwards moved from Chicago to Streamwood. She has been a parishioner at St. John's since 1967 where she and her husband raised their three children who are now adults with children of their own. Nancy is grandmother to 10 (one who is in heaven).

Nancy began planning music and playing for weekend liturgies in 1969. She loves God's music in any form and enjoys finding music that will challenge the choirs and touch their heart and spirit.

She actively works with the Adult Choir, Jubilation Choir, Hand Bell Choir, Resurrection Choir, and the Little Angels Choir (Christmas Eve Mass). She also works with the children in the School and Religious Education. Nancy assists the Ethnic Choirs and also plans and schedules the music for all weekend liturgies and special events.

In addition to her musical activities at the parish, Nancy also volunteers her time in the community. She directs and accompanies "The Silver Belles", a singing group made up of volunteers from Hanover Township Senior Center that performs regularly at local nursing homes.