Fr Ian Rio Vicente Mugot Dacayanan CMF
Fr Ian Dacayanan, CMF was ordained to the Order of Presbyters on May 31, 2025, in Quezon City Philippines. His vocation story is a tapestry of faith, struggles, dedication, and the extraordinary power of divine calling that unveils the inner workings of a heart and soul committed to the path of religious missionary life. It was an inspirational story that will resonate on a profound level with individuals who feel a calling to dedicate their lives to serving God in the path of religious life and missionary priesthood. O Clarim asked him to reflect on his journey to his priestly ordination.
My journey to the priesthood was not a straight path—it was a 22-year roller coaster of faith, doubt, struggle, and grace. There were moments when I felt so close to God, and times when I walked away completely. Yet, through every fall and every return, He was patiently calling me back.
The Breaking Point: When Faith Felt Lost
There was a time when I stopped believing—not just in my vocation, but even in going to church. Life took a sharp turn when my father lost his job, and I had to step up to support my sisters still in school. The seminary felt like a distant dream. I entered the “wild, wild world”—chasing money, freedom, and temporary pleasures. For a while, it felt like I had everything: I could buy what I wanted, go where I pleased. After some years working, and despite getting excellent and promising career prospects, I was feeling restless, for work soon proved meaningless and unfulfillment, deep inside there was a hollowness a quiet voice whispering, there must be more.
The Slow Return: Rediscovering Faith
God never forces, but He never gives up. Slowly, like a prodigal son, I found myself drawn back—first with hesitation, then with longing. I started asking the hard questions: Why do I feel empty when I have everything? What is this restlessness in my heart? Little by little, I returned to prayer, to the sacraments, to the quiet moments where God speaks. And in that stillness, I found something I had been missing for years—peace.
The Blessing in the Struggle
Looking back, I now see how those years of wandering were not wasted. They taught me humility, deepened my compassion, and made my faith real—not just inherited, but chosen. My struggles with doubt, my family’s hardships, even my time away from the Church—all of it became part of my testimony. God didn’t just call me despite my brokenness; He called me through it. As I continue to allow God’s plans for me to unfold, what I have learnt thus far is that God’s ways and plans for me are far greater and better than what I can imagine them to be. So long as I continue to put my trust in Him and allow Him to lead and guide me to the path that is best for me, I will never be disappointed but continue to be amazed at how good and faithful our Heavenly Father is to us, His beloved children.
Why I Share This Now
If you’re discerning priesthood or feeling lost in your faith, know this: God writes straight with crooked lines. Your doubts, your falls, even your time in the “wilderness”—none of it disqualifies you. In fact, it may be the very thing that prepares you. I am a priest today not because I was perfect, but because God was patient. And if He can call someone like me—who walked away, who struggled, who failed—then He can surely call you, too. Dare to trust Him again. Magmadasig ka—kay ang Ginoo, dili gyud mo biya. (Be courageous—for the Lord will never leave you.)
( On March 18, 2023, Ian Rio Vicente M. Dacayanan, CMF, was ordained as a Deacon in Macau by the Bishop of Macau Msgr. Stephen Lee Bun Sang. We extend our congratulations to Fr Ian, we pray that God’s guidance continues to be his light, and that he may bring more souls closer to His heart. May his ministry and mission as Claretian Missionary be filled with grace, courage, and the love of Christ)
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