Father Matthew Adackapara, a retired priest of the Diocese of Trenton who last served in St. Pius X Parish, Forked River, died June 23 in Calicut, India, at age 84.

Father Adackapara was born March 12, 1930 in Kerala, India, and attended St. Joseph Mission Home in Kottayam, a minor seminary. He entered the Congregation of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, part of the Syro-Malabar Church, as an aspirant, and was ordained a priest by Cardinal Joseph Parekattil May 17, 1960.

Father Adackapara was assigned first to Sacred Heart Monastery in India’s Diocese of Changanacherry, then attended St. Joseph College in Devagiri for further studies. After completing studies in Germany, he arrived in the U.S. in the late 1960s, first serving in a New York City parish, then relocating to St. Paul the Apostle Parish, Irvington, while studying in Seton Hall University, South Orange.

Father Adackapara served in the parishes of St. Paul, Highland Park, and Our Lady of Fatima, Piscataway, both in the Diocese of Metuchen; St. Catherine, Farmingdale, St. James, Red Bank; St. Robert Bellarmine, Freehold; Blessed Sacrament, Trenton; St. Mary, New Monmouth; and St. Pius X, Forked River. He was incardinated as a priest of the Trenton Diocese in 1986. Farther Adackapara retired from active ministry in 2005 and returned to India.

During a 2010 interview marking the 50th anniversary of his ordination, Father Adackapara noted his love of ministering to the sick and dying in area hospitals and remarked, “I am very happy with my life as a priest. I always had some very good priests to work with.”

Funeral services were held June 26 in Calicut, India. Cards of condolence may be sent to his extended family at 25 Stanley Drive, Monroe Township, N.J., 08831.