I was on a cale drive in the Sawtooth Mountains of Wyoming when I heard God’s simple words calling me to the priesthood: “You’re moving the wrong herd.” After years of running away from his divine will, I knew that God had finally caught up with me.
My running started when I enlisted in the Army; I followed in my family’s legacy of military service and served five years as a “grunt” in the airborne infantry. I then worked in construction, where I noticed that I had a gift for talking to other contractors about God. Desiring to know more about the faith, I enrolled at Franciscan University of Steubenville, where I fell deeper in love with Jesus, the Eucharist, the Blessed Virgin Mary and mission work. I served the homeless in the Bronx, brought mercy to prostitutes in Chicago and evangelized souls in Honduras.
Still, I was afraid to say “yes” to the collar, so after graduation, I ran to Wyoming to hide. Now, each day of my priesthood, I thank God that he never stopped pursuing me.
Father Ryan Patrick Mahar
Diocese of Sacramento
Father Nicholas Phelan Council 1875
Grass Valley, Calif.








