Fr. Raphael Maher was born in 1976 in Cairo, Egypt and immigrated with his family to Los Angeles in 1981.
He holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Computer Information Systems from California Polytechnic University in Pomona, CA. He also took courses in the Pope Shenouda III Seminary in 1999 and 2000.
Prior to his consecration and ordination, he was an IT consultant and Program Manager at Microsoft.
He previously served at Holy Virgin Mary Church in Los Angeles until he moved to Seattle to work at Microsoft and while in Seattle, he served at St. George Church in Redmond.
On November 9, he was ordained as a deacon by H.G. Bishop Serapion to serve in the Diocese and assigned to St. Abanoub and St. Antony Church in Norco. On Sunday, November 24, he was elevated to the priestly rank of presbyter and assigned to serve in the same church.
In 2018, Father Raphael began to serve in Holy Nativity Coptic Orthodox Church in Riverside, California.