(14.02.1947 -12.04.2026)
Rev Fr Luke Varickamakkal of St Mary was called to eternal bliss in the Lord’s house on 12th April, 2026, at 2:40 pm after being diagnosed with last stage liver cancer on 27th March, 2026. He lived for 79 fruitful years, and 57 years of professed religious life and 50 years of dedicated priestly life.
Luka V.M (Rev Fr Luke Varickamakkal of St Mary) was born in Moozhoor, Kottayam on 14.02.1947 to late Mr Mathew Luke and Mrs. Annamma Mathew as the fifth among the seven siblings. He had his primary education in St Mary’s L. P School, Moozhoor, St Aloysius High School, Poovathilappu and St Albert’s High School, Ernakulam. The family got migrated to the
Malabar region in the year 1975 and hence St. Joseph’s Church Chappanthottam in Thamarassery diocese became his home parish. He joined the Order of Discalced Carmelites in the year 1964 in Apostolic School, Ernakulam. He entered the Novitiate of Malabar Province OCD at St Elias Monastery Thuckalay on 19th April 1968 and made his first profession on 20th April 1969. He did his philosophy studies at Carmel Hill Monastery, Trivandrum and theology studies at Carmelaram Theology College, Carmelaram. He made his solemn profession on 9th June 1974 at St Joseph’s Monastery, Carmelaram. He was ordained the priest of the Lord on 28th April, 1976 by His Excellency Mar Sebastian Valloppilly, Archbishop of Thalassery.
Soon after his ordination, he was given conventuality in St Joseph’s Monastery, Carmelaram (1976-1977) and served as the Librarian of CTC and the newly begun AVP. From 1977-1980 he was a member of Carmel Hill Monastery, Trivandrum and served as the Bursar of St. Joseph’s Press. In the year 1980 he was sent to Rome and there he took Diploma in Library Science from Vatican and served as the Assistant Librarian of Teresianum till 1984 and meanwhile he also finished his M Th from Teresianum Pontifical University. Coming back to India he was a member of St. Teresa’s Monastery, Ernakulam, from 1984 to 1987, engaging in pastoral activities and teaching, he was also very active in the preaching retreats especially in giving guided retreats to the religious. From 1987 to 1996 he was in Carmelaram, Bangalore as a professor, from the year 1990-1993 he was also the Prefect of Studies at Adhyathma Vidhya Peetham, Carmelaram, Bangalore and from 1993-1996, he was the Rector of Carmelaram Theology College, Bangalore. In 1997 he was sent to Rome for doing his Ph.D. which he completed with laurels in 1999 specialising himself in St. John of the Cross. Fr Luke also translated one of the famous books written by Richard P. Hardy, a recognized scholar in Christian Spirituality and the author of acclaimed works on the 16th-century Spanish mystic St. John of the Cross titled “John of the Cross: Man and Mystic” into Malayalam, under the title “Kurishinte Vishudha Yohannan: Shyoonathayil Daivathe Kandethiya Snehopasakan”.
Coming back from Rome he was a member of San Joe Ashram, Potta for a short period, 1999-2001, and in St Teresa’s Monastery, Ernakulam, from 2001 to 2008 serving as a zealous pastor, a good retreat preacher and visiting professor in our Spirituality Centres and Theology College including Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram. From 2008-2011 he continued his spiritual and pastoral ministry as a conventual in Mount Carmel Ashram, Pala.
Meanwhile in 2011 Fr Luke Varickamakkal was elected Councillor of the North Malabar Regional Vicariate and served as the first Father in Charge of the newly established House of the Vicariate – San Jose Bhavan, Kodenchery from 2011 to 2017. As the father in-Charge he started celebrating daily Holy Mass for the people of the locality in the small chapel in Jose Bhavan. It was a great spiritual help for the villagers who eagerly attended the spiritual services with great zeal and devotion. He established a good relationship with the neighbours and neighbouring parishes. He
cultivated every inch of the land at Kodenchery – besides rubber, coconut plantation and crops like coco, tapioca, plantain, yam, pepper, etc. Not an inch of land at Kodenchery was wasted. He was a good dedicated farmer who loved the soil and the plants. He knew every nook and corner of the 28-acre property, and he knew every plant and tree there. He was a lover of nature and a planter in his works. It was due to the hard work and constant follow up of Fr Luke that we got a good compensation from the Power Grid Corporation of India for routing the powerline through our property.
In 2017 he was elected Regional Vicar of the North Malabar Vicariate and he continued till 2019. It was during his time as the Regional Vicar that the land at Kozhikode was purchased and the Mount Carmel Monastery, Malaparamba, was erected as the Regional House of the Vicariate. But later, the North Malabar Regional Vicariate was suppressed by the Generalate. From 2019 to 2023 he continued his ministry in Kodenchery as Father-in Charge of the Estate and Jose Bhavan.
In 2023 he was transferred to St Teresa’s Monastery, Ernakulam, where he was to spend the final years of his life. He was zealous and untiring in his pastoral commitment. He would sit for long hours continuously in the confessional. Even when he was tired, he used to celebrate public Mass in the Church to assist the community. He was selfless in his availability for the community. In his spiritual commitment he forgot his health. He was diagnosed with last stage of liver cancer in Medical Trust, Ernakulam on 27th of March 2026. Since the doctors said that there is no further medication possible, he was taken to Caritas Hospital, Ettumannoor for further check-up and second opinion on the 1st of April, 2026. There also the opinion was the same. After a few days in Caritas Hospital, at his request, he was brought back to St Teresa’s Monastery, Ernakulam on 6th April 2026.
The community of St Teresa’s Monastery, especially Fr Paulose Vazhakkala OCD, looked after him, even though a home nurse also was assigned to assist him. During this time Rev Sr. Teresa Mary belonging to the Congregation of Good Shepherd, one of Fr Luke’s sisters, came to visit him. And she stayed over to assist him. It was a blessing for both of them. His condition suddenly turned worse on 12th morning. And On April 12, 2026, 2:40 pm Fr Luke breathed his last in the presence of Rev. Sr. Teresa Mary, his sister, Mrs Linu his niece, and Mrs Savina. The body was shifted to the mortuary of Lourdes Hospital, Ernakulam, and on 14th morning his body was brought to St Teresa’s Monastery Church so that the community and the public could pay him the last homage. At 9:30 am Holy Mass was celebrated and the mortal remains of Rev. Fr. Luke was taken to Lisieux Centre, Muvattupuzha. Many of our fathers and brothers from different communities reached either Ernakulam or Muvattupuzha to pay him homage and to pray for the repose of his
soul. The funeral mass was celebrated at 4:00 pm, presided over by Rev. Fr. Peter Chakiath, Provincial, and the concluding funeral rites were conducted by His Excellency Mar George Madathikandathil, Bishop of Kothamangalam. Dear Rev. Fr. Luke, may your soul rest in peace.
On behalf of the Province, I would like to thank most sincerely, the community of St Teresa’s Monastery, Ernakulam for the care, love and concern they showed to Fr. Luke especially during the last days of his illness. I also thank Rev. Fr. James Niravath and the community of Lisieux Centre for making all the arrangements for the funeral services with great care. Also, my gratitude and appreciation go the Media Team of the province under the leadership of Rev. Fr. Joseph Thekkumattathil for the live coverage of the funeral services. I also thank Fr. Sebastian Chennakkattukunnel, the Provincial Secretary, Fr George Thurackal and Fr Paul Thannippilly for the liturgical arrangements.
Let us keep our dear Rev. Fr. Luke Varickamakkal OCD in our prayers.