“What I have discovered about the gym is that it is the place of transformation. Outside of here, I’m Father Bill, the priest. Inside the gym, I’m Bill. In here, the focus is on physical exertion, which allows me to disconnect from the outside world and find a sense of peace and renewal.”
Meet Father Bill Hill.
Bill was born and partially raised in Sheridan, Wyoming before later moving to Rock Springs during his high school years. After completing college, he entered seminary and has now spent the last eighteen years serving communities across Wyoming as a Catholic priest.
Although physical fitness is now an important part of his life, Bill shared that this was not always the case.
He described himself as someone who did not fully understand how to care for his body during his high school and college years and openly reflected on a period of significant unhealthiness while attending seminary. During that season of life, he recalled reaching a weight that became concerning and served as an early signal that something needed to change.
That realization eventually became the beginning of a different journey.
In 2014, Bill decided to start running as a way to improve his physical health and stay in shape. What began as a simple personal goal gradually turned into something much bigger. Running became a serious pursuit and eventually led him into the world of ultramarathons. Reflecting on that period, Bill laughed as he described the mindset that drove him.
“If a little is good, more is better.” That thinking encouraged him to continuously push his limits.“If you can do 32 miles, why not try 50? If I can do 50, why not 62? After 62 miles, I figured I might as well attempt 100.” However, life has a way of redirecting us.
A foot injury forced Bill to step away from long-distance running and reconsider what movement and health looked like moving forward. Rather than allowing the injury to become the end of his fitness journey, he adapted and shifted toward weight training. That transition became more than a substitute. Weightlifting has now remained a consistent part of Bill’s life and routine for nearly ten years.
To support his training, Bill developed another practice that has become equally meaningful to him. Since 2019, he has maintained a detailed record of his workouts in what his friends jokingly refer to as “the old man logbook.” The notebook tracks his lifts, monitors progress, and helps him intentionally structure his training. “You cannot manage what you do not measure,” Bill explained. Yet over time, the logbook became about more than data.
For Bill, recording his workouts created dedicated space to focus and reflect without the distractions of his phone or the demands of everyday life. It became a reminder that meaningful progress often happens through consistency, awareness, and small adjustments over time. In many ways, the process mirrors life itself.
Growth requires us to pay attention to where we are, reflect honestly on patterns, adjust when needed, and continue showing up even when progress feels slow.
Through that process, Bill discovered that the benefits of exercise extended far beyond physical strength. Working out became an important part of maintaining his mental well-being. Living and growing up in Wyoming, Bill explained that conversations about mental health have historically not been common, partly because of what he described as a cultural tendency toward toughness and self-reliance. For more than ten years, Bill has experienced seasonal depression.
Through research and developing greater awareness of his own experiences, he began noticing the important role that light exposure both natural and artificial played in his mental state, especially during Wyoming’s long winters.
As early as 2008, Bill incorporated light therapy into his routine and found it to be beneficial in reducing the impact of seasonal depression. Combined with physical activity, outdoor movement, and weight training, these practices created noticeable improvements in his overall mental wellness. That personal experience eventually influenced how he approached his role as a priest.
Recognizing how little mental health was discussed and drawing from his own experiences, Bill began using his platform to speak more openly about mental well-being within his congregation. His goal was not to present himself as having all the answers but to help normalize conversations that are often surrounded by silence and stigma.
Bill strongly believes in the power of prayer. At the same time, he believes healing sometimes requires practical action. As he put it: “Prayer is good and helps a lot, but sometimes, you just have to lift some heavy weights or get out for some sunlight and sweat it out.”
When asked about the most significant lessons he has learned both as a priest and through life, Bill’s response centered on humility and understanding. “It’s not about me,” he said. “It’s God’s work, and I need to chill out and trust that He is in control.”
He spoke about the importance of walking alongside people through the complexity of life rather than evaluating them against our own expectations and standards. Bill reflected on the overwhelming diversity of people and experiences in the world and acknowledged that no single perspective can fully capture the depth of human life. With more than eight billion people across different cultures, languages, beliefs, and backgrounds, he believes the challenge is not to fully understand everyone but to remain committed to trying.
For Bill, that effort toward understanding is one of the ways we create a more peaceful, compassionate, and connected world.
As life continues to unfold and new chapters begin, some people leave an impact that remains long after the conversations themselves.What stayed with me most from my time with Bill was not simply his approach to training or the distances he once ran. It was the simplicity and honesty of how he approached life.
Outside the gym, he carried the responsibilities of ministry. Inside the gym, he created space to simply be Bill; to reflect, reset, and care for himself in ways that allowed him to continue showing up for others. His willingness to speak openly about mental wellness, to embrace adaptation when life changed direction, and to remain grounded in humility offered something deeper than fitness advice.
Thank you, Father Bill, for the ways you invested in people, for sharing part of your story, and for the reminder that serving God and caring for ourselves is not separate from caring for others.
As my mom would often remind me,
“Service to yourself and to humanity is service to God“
