Clergy & Staff Directory

Deacon Tim Sullivan Permanent Deacon

Deacon Tim is the permanent deacon assigned to the parish family at Saint Clement by Cardinal George. He is an Ohio native where he went to John Carroll University in the Cleveland Area. He was a Special Agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (which was then under the U.S. Treasury Department). After retiring from ATF in 1999 he was ordained to the permanent diaconate by Adam Cardinal Maida of the Archdiocese of Detroit and received his masters of theology in 2000 from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit. During his studies for the diaconate, he did his internship at St. Mary’s Hospital in Livonia, Michigan in pastoral care. He taught Theology at Loyola High School in the inner city of Detroit for eight years as well as being the campus chaplain and chair of the theology department for five years. During that period he also was the chaplain (4 years) at a juvenile girl’s detention facility in Dearborn Heights, Michigan and chaplain at a nursing home in Detroit (5 years). From 2001 until 2010 he was the Detroit Field Division Chaplain for the Bureau of ATF. In 1992 he founded a public charity which ministered to (and continues to minister) to the homeless and marginalized in downtown Detroit and continued as president until 2010. He still remains on the board of directors to an organization that now has three locations and serves between 250-300 people ever week on Saturday (food, clothing and counseling). He has two daughters in Chicago.

As a deacon, his primary ministry is one of charity. He also assists at Mass, proclaims the Gospel, preaches, baptizes and witnesses marriages as well as para-liturgical duties such as Benediction during the week, house and business blessings as well as a variety of other services. He is also available for counseling and spiritual direction.

Rachel Espinoza Director of Children and Family Catechesis

Rachel Espinoza joined the Saint Clement staff in June 2015. She directs the religious education program for parish children, sacramental preparation, Liturgy of the Word for Children, and family catechesis. She offers training and support for the catechists at Saint Clement and collaborates in providing adult faith formation in the parish. She also guides the Faith Formation Committee called Faith in the Next Generation.

Rachel earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theology and Catechetics from Franciscan University and a Master of Divinity degree from the University of Notre Dame. She has worked professionally in parish ministry for five years and is a certified Pastoral Associate of the Archdiocese of Chicago. She is also an author for Liturgy Training Publications and wrote Sunday Prayer for Catholic School Teachers (2015-2016) and Sunday Prayer for Teens (2016-2017).

“The question of how we are educating in faith is not rhetorical, it is essential. The response calls for courage, creativity and the decision to take paths which are at times yet uncharted. The catechesis, as a component of the process of evangelization, needs to go beyond the simple realm of scholastics, in order to educate believers, beginning with children, to encounter Christ, living and working in his Church. It is the encounter with [Christ] that gives rise to the desire to know him better and thus to follow Him to become his disciples.” ~ Pope Francis, May 29, 2015

Paul Nicholson Director of Music

Named Director of Music at Saint Clement in 2010, Paul is a distinguished Chicago accompanist, vocal coach, composer, conductor and singer. He has served both faculty and staff at Roosevelt University, Lake Forest College, Concordia University, Columbia College, and the School of Music at DePaul University. 

He has sung with the Chicago Symphony and Grant Park Music Festival choruses. His vocal and instrumental compositions have been recorded on the Cedille, Imaginary Road and Polygram labels, and he has appeared both at the keyboard and as a singer on Live from Studio One on WFMT. Currently he serves as accompanist to the Grant Park Music Festival chorus. Paul serves Saint Clement as principal organist and director of three choral ensembles: Schola Clementis, Seraphim, and Cantate Choir. In addition, he auditions and trains all cantors and instrumentalists.

Gael Day Receptionist & Wedding Coordinator

Gael joined Saint Clement in February 2007 as our Parish Receptionist and Wedding Coordinator. In her role as Parish Receptionist, she provides both welcome and hospitality to all who come to the Parish Office. In addition, Gael is the person on staff who assists with facility scheduling and coordination, keeps all the sacramental records, and supports the parish ministry to our homeless guests.

As Wedding Coordinator, Gael works with couples wishing to be married here, beginning with scheduling the wedding and Marriage Information Night through record keeping and recording. Before joining Saint Clement, Gael worked as an executive assistant to key executives for such companies as Pan American World Airways, Washington National Insurance Company, and Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. She was born and raised in New York City, is the proud grandmother of two grandchildren, and loves to spend time with them.   

Joanna Krynski Communications Manager

Joanna joined the Saint Clement Parish staff in April 2005, hired for the communications position. In 2014, after having her first child, she switched to the part-time Outreach and Adult Formation Assistant position. In October 2019, Joanna moved back to the communications role, becoming the Communications Manager. Her general duties include managing the parish's bulletin, website, e-newsletters, printed mailings, and social media. 

Joanna graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English/Creative Writing and Women Studies, earning the John Gerrietts Award for Excellence in Creative Writing—awarded to one graduating senior each year. During college, she held internships at the Field Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art (in their marketing and media relations departments, respectively). In June 2013, Joanna graduated (with distinction) from DePaul University, earning a Master of Arts degree in Writing and Publishing.