Rev. Gabriel Baltes, O.S.B.
Pastor
Father Gabriel Baltes was born on April 19, 1958 and was baptized “Brian.” He is the second of three children who were raised in Sandusky, OH. At an early age, he felt the stirrings of a call to the priesthood, and so after the eighth grade, entered Holy Spirit Seminary in Toledo, Ohio from which he graduated in 1976. He continued his seminary studies at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, OH from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1980.
He spent the next two years working as a seminarian for the Toledo Diocese and taught religion at Nazareth Hall Military Academy in Grand Rapids, OH. It was during this time that he felt a further call to Benedictine monastic life which led him to enter St. Procopius Abbey in 1982. Upon entering the novitiate, he was given the name “Gabriel,” which is translated, “God is my strength.” He professed the vows of a Benedictine monk (Obedience, Stability, and Conversatio Morum) on September 14, 1983.
After the four years of monastic formation, Brother Gabriel resumed his studies for the priesthood at the Jesuit School of Theology at Berkeley, CA ,where he earned a Master of Divinity degree. The following year, he earned a Master of Arts degree in Liturgical Studies at the University of Notre Dame, IN. Fr. Gabriel was ordained to the priesthood on July 27, 1991 by the Most Reverend Roger L. Kaffer at St. Procopius Abbey Church.
After ordination, Fr. Gabriel was assigned to the position of liturgy director for the monastic community. He also worked in the Campus Ministry Department of Benedictine University and taught in their Religious Studies Department.
In the spring of 1993, Fr. Gabriel was assigned to St. Joan of Arc Parish, where he served as an associate pastor until December of 1997, when he re-located to the north woods of Wisconsin where he was hired as the Director of the Office of Worship for the Diocese of Superior. While serving in the Superior Diocese, Fr. Gabriel was also the Sunday chaplain for the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery in Duluth, MN. Father remained in Superior for ten and a half years until he returned to St. Joan of Arc Parish as pastor in 2008.
Grateful to be back at St. Joan of Arc, Fr. Gabriel enjoys the variety of roles and challenges that being a pastor entails. He is especially grateful for the involvement he has with the parish Elementary and Junior High School, which he views as a privileged means to shape our young people in the Catholic Faith.
In addition to his pastoral responsibilities, Fr. Gabriel is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry Degree in preaching from Aquinas Institute at St. Louis University. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies, walking through Lisle’s Arboretum, and working out at Naperville’s Planet Fitness. Although not a musician, he appreciates fine music. While not an artist, he loves art. Both of these are valued as expressions of that divine beauty that reveals, however incompletely, the mystery of God.
Fr. Gabriel hopes to continue the noble tradition of prayer and work that inspired the founding fathers and mothers of this faith community.
Rev. James Radek
Sacramental Minister
Father James Radek was born and raised in Downers Grove, Fr. Radek attended Montini High School, Illinois Benedictine College (as it was then known) and St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, IL. He has been a priest of the Joliet Diocese for 32 years and has served at five parishes. In addition to parish ministry, Fr. Radek functioned as a Master of Ceremony at Cathedral Liturgies for three bishops, and has worked at the Diocesan Marriage Tribunal.
He is a fourth degree Knight of Columbus and a member of the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre. Membership in these ecclesiastical organizations entitles him to wear distinct insignia that we may be given a glimpse of from time to time.
Currently, Father resides at St. John Vianney Villa in Naperville, where he finds clever and creative ways to make this home for retired clergy a peaceful and beautiful place to live. Father Radek has great devotion to the saints of the Church, as evidenced in an impressive array of holy relics, many of which he has donated to our parish. His favorite sports are hockey and wrestling, the latter of which is still one of Montini’s claim to fame.
Dcn. Jack Hayes
Permanent Deacon
Deacon Jack Hayes received the Sacrament of Holy Orders as a Permanent Deacon on August 20, 2022, through the Diocese of Joliet.
Supported by Fr. Gabriel and Fr. Carl Gregorich (formally Deacon Carl), his wife Donna, family and friends, Deacon Jack entered formation for the diaconate in the fall of 2017. This decision was a Holy Spirit-inspired call that first came to Jack in St. Joan of Arc’s Adoration Chapel. After a period of initial discernment, the call to serve the Church and the people of St. Joan of Arc took hold, and Deacon Jack is thrilled to be able to give back to the community that has been so important in his life and the lives of his family.
Deacon Jack and his wife Donna met in high school at Benet Academy. They married in 1985 and after moving to Lisle shortly after, have been parish members at St. Joan of Arc since. They raised their three children (Brian ’02, Lauren ’05 and Kelly ’08) through the St. Joan of Arc School and Parish. During many of those years (20+), Donna worked as a SJA first grade teacher's aide, Jack coached basketball teams and was a Scout leader, and the kids were Altar Servers and choir members. Deacon Jack participated in various ministries including the Marriage Preparation Team, Usher, Eucharistic Minister, Lector, Parish Council President, Picnic Committee and volunteered for various service programs.
His professional career began in environmental engineering, and after completing his Bachelor’s degree in Business and Economics from Benedictine University, he moved into various management positions in the design and construction industry. Since 2008 Deacon Jack has served as President/CEO of a commercial construction company focused on institutional clients such as public agencies, schools and churches.
As a proud graduate of Benet Academy, Benedictine University and a long-time member of the Benedictine supported parish at St. Joan of Arc, Deacon Jack has a strong affinity to St. Benedict and his motto – “Ora et Labora” – pray and work. Currently he is pursuing advanced education studies in Homiletics through the University of Dallas Institute of Homiletics, Preaching for Encounter program. Deacon Jack is humbled to be of service to the community of St. Joan of Arc in the three-fold Diaconal ministries of the Word, the Liturgy and Charity.
Dcn. Paul Nappi
Permanent Deacon
Deacon Paul Nappi was ordained to the Order of the Diaconate on August 22, 2020, at the Cathedral of St. Raymond in Joliet, IL.
Deacon Paul has been a parishioner of St. Joan of Arc for over twenty years. He and his wife Madhu are both animal lovers. Deacon Paul’s background has been in healthcare, which has involved a rich variety of service as an EMT, ETOH counselor, environmental health practitioner, psychiatric nurse, and healthcare surveyor of hospitals and nursing homes.
His favorite quote is from Mother Teresa: “The fruit of silence is prayer, the fruit of prayer is faith, the fruit of faith is love, the fruit of love is service, and the fruit of service is peace.”
Deacon Paul has served our parish community as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, a regular adorer at our Adoration Chapel, a volunteer for PADS, a member of the Pro-Life Ministry, and a wedding host who, with his wife Madhu, helped to orchestrate wedding liturgies and assisted the parties involved.