Our Staff

Fr. Luke Spannagel

Blessings to you!  I was ordained a priest in 2003 and have enjoyed assignments in campus ministry and parishes of all sizes.  I was named Pastor of St. Philomena in 2024.  Know of my prayers for you all and that I look forward to growing together.

• Fr. Luke’s favorite things list.

Fr. Daniel Dionesotes

You may remember me from the summer of 2022 as the transitional deacon tagging along with Fr. Dave. But now, I have the privilege of returning as the new parochial vicar! In May 2023, I finished my final year of seminary formation and on May 27, 2023, I was ordained a priest for this diocese (along with one of your very own, Fr. Pat Wille). Although I am now calling St. Phil’s home, I am originally from Bloomington, where both of my parents still live. I also have an older sister, who lives in Texas, and a younger brother, who is a FOCUS missionary at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

It is rather fitting that my first assignment as a priest has such a great school, because I have been in Catholic schools my entire life. I went to Holy Trinity grade school (now Corpus Christi) and then graduated from Central Catholic high school in 2015, both of which are in Bloomington. After high school, I spent two years at Marquette University in Milwaukee and it was there that I first felt that God was calling me to be a priest. It took two years of wavering back and forth about whether to enter seminary until I finally said “yes” to what I had to admit was an undeniable call to be a priest. This decision was greatly aided by my two summers as a Totus Tuus teacher, which immediately preceded my entering seminary. These summers were incredibly formative for me due to the environment of prayer and the public witness to my faith. It was also during these summers that I fell in love with the Diocese of Peoria after visiting many different parishes throughout our diocese.

Six years later, I am finally a priest of Jesus Christ in a diocese that I love and in a parish that I am overjoyed to call home. I look forward to meeting all of you and know of my constant prayer for you all. I ask that you too keep me in prayer, that I may be a faithful and fervent priest. 

Fr. Blake Miller

I grew up in Bloomington and I am the oldest child of Todd and Laura. I have two younger sisters, Cassidy and Ashley. I am a graduate of Central Catholic High School and my home parish is Holy Trinity. Before seminary, I went to Illinois State for my undergraduate studies and later to Eastern Illinois for graduate school. There, I had a serious reversion to the faith and, after graduating, I entered seminary. I love playing and watching sports (especially the Chicago teams), watching movies, and reading.

Deacon Mike Schallmoser

I am a native Chicagoan. My wife, Anne, and I have been married since 1996 and have two children, Conrad and Shyanne. Recently retired, I worked for the Pekin Federal Prison as a full-time case manager starting in 1994. On the weekends I rotate which Mass I serve so I am able to see the most people.

Gloria Khoury

I schedule the Mass intentions here at St. Philomena Parish. I was born and raised in Peoria and grew up attending school and church at St. Mark and St. Sharbel Parishes. I am blessed to have received formation and sacraments in both the Roman and Maronite Rites of the Catholic Church. My husband Bobby and I, along with our three children, Simon, Celine, and Aidan joined and were welcomed into St. Philomena Parish in 2002.  It is truly a blessing to be a part of such a wonderful church community

Ida Nosalik

Rhonda Parker

I wear a few different hats here at St. Philomena Parish. I am originally from Granville, Illinois which is in the northern part of the Diocese of Peoria.  Bobby Parker and I were married in 1995 at Sacred Heart Church in Granville and we have two daughters, Mackenzie and Cecilia. A 1994 graduate of Illinois State University, my degree is in communications with an emphasis in public relations and a minor in writing. Our family joined St. Philomena in 1999 when we moved to Peoria from Omaha, Nebraska.

Debbie Salander

Mrs. Salander has taught kindergarten at St. Philomena since 2010-11 and transitions to our 3-year-old program in the fall of 2026.  She has been teaching early childhood classes (toddler, pre-k and kindergarten) since 1991.  Mrs. Salander is from Princeton, Illinois and earned an Associate’s degree in Education at Illinois Central College and a Bachelor’s degree at Illinois State University.  She has been married to her husband Steve since 1992 and has a son, Colin (wife Regan) and a daughter, Haley (husband Brody). She has two grandchildren with another on the way.  Mrs. Salander enjoys walking outside and watching sporting events, especially the ones her children played, (football and soccer).

• Mrs. Salander’s favorite things.

Criss Sheehan

I was born and raised in Oak Park, a suburb of Chicago. We moved here in 1994 for a manager job my late husband, Mike, acquired at Oogies Family Restaurant in Peoria. I have worked for St. Philomena since 1999. You might remember me from my time as a school secretary. I was school secretary for 10 years and I have been the parish receptionist since 2014.  I am in our beautiful new Parish Center and I will likely be the first person you see when you arrive, I will be happy to assist you!  Some of my responsibilities include answering the phone, updating our sacramental books, ordering supplies and selling Scrip along with other odds and ends jobs, this all keeps me very busy!  Each of my three boys, Kyle, Andy and Mikey (now men) attended St. Philomena School and I am also a parishioner.  I have grown to love the people in this community; it’s a great place to be. GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME!

Jenny Witt

I was born and raised here in Peoria, Illinois and received my early formation from St. Vincent de Paul. It was the witness of St. Vincent that fueled a fire in my heart to serve the Lord as His missionary. My formation continued at Peoria Notre Dame, Illinois State, and OSF Medical Center College of Nursing. I chose nursing to care, serve, and love the vulnerable. While working in healthcare the Lord asked me to drop my nets to serve in the mission of evangelization through the organization called FOCUS, Fellowship of Catholic University Students. I am grateful for these two years with FOCUS that took me further and deeper as a disciple of Christ. I joined St. Philomena Parish after college and was brought onto staff in 2012 to serve as the Director of Evangelization as well as teach Natural Family Planning through the Creighton Model System. It is a great gift to serve and be part of the St. Philomena family.

Miss Witt’s favorite things list.