Fr. Martin Joseph Varickanickal was born on December 25, 1970 to Joseph and Mary.  He was born in Kerala, one of the southern states in India. The fourth of five siblings, Fr. Martin attended Catholic elementary school and Catholic high school in his home parish, Kolakkad, in the state of Kerala. He entered St. Joseph’s Minor Seminary, in the Archdiocese of Tellicherry in 1986. He completed his major seminary studies at St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor, Kottayam, and Bachelor studies in political science and philosophy at Mahatma Gandhi University, in Kerala. Archbishop George Valiamattam ordained Martin Joseph a priest on Dec 31, 1996 at St. Thomas Church Kolakkad, his home parish. After his ordination he worked in his Archdiocese for three years, one year as an associate pastor and two years as pastor.

In the year 2000 he was sent to Rome for higher studies in communication and journalism. Fr. Martin Joseph attended Communication School at Holy Cross University in Rome and holds a master degree in communication. During that time Fr. Martin Joseph did his pastoral ministry in the dioceses of Milan and Naples in Italy and in the diocese of Wutzburg in Germany. He also had the opportunity to do his
internship with EWTN in Birmingham, Alabama, during his communication studies.

Fr. Martin Joseph came to Los Angeles to study film and television production. He is now completing his MFA in film making from the school of film and television at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Before coming to Holy Family Church in 2004, Fr. Martin Joseph was a priest in residence at Maria Regina Catholic Church in Gardena. He is now happy to be serving at our parish here at Holy Family. Fr. Martin likes creating shows, music and film that share faith, hope and love.

“As a priest I like to receive and serve everyone as gifts from God, given to me to love and to be loved.”