Robert Joseph Fox (December 24, 1927 – November 26, 2009) was an American priest of the Roman Catholic church. He was an author of religious books and tapes, and appeared on many Roman Catholic television programs and conferences. Fox also served as a diocesan priest for several rural towns in South Dakota.
Fox was the Director of the International Fatima Family Apostolate and Youth for Fatima Pilgrimages, editor of the Immaculate Heart Messenger. He began the Marian Congress in the United States which is held annually
Early life
Fox was born in Watertown, South Dakota on December 24, 1928. His parents, Aloysius and Susie Emma Fox, were farmers. Fox, the youngest of eight siblings, was raised in a religious family, and he later recalled "I never remembered when I did not want to be a priest." His father died while Fox was still a baby and he grew up working with his siblings to preserve the farm throughout the Great Depression.
Before attending school, Fox was encouraged by his mother to study to become a priest like their local pastor Fr. William O'Meara. Fox stated that his "mother put the thought in my mind" of joining the priesthood before the first grade, "She mentioned it only two times in my life, but it stuck." He recalled going with her to town when she would buy groceries and that she left him free for an hour and he "would go [to] the Catholic Church and genuflect and spend time before Jesus. Even then I could feel the Real Presence of Jesus in the tabernacle. That drew me to the priest-hood."
Schooling
Fox attended Immaculate Conception School in Watertown, a parochial school run by Franciscan nuns. There, Fox learned of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, an Italian monk. His story helped inspire him to pursue the priesthood. He then attended Watertown High School in Watertown. Fox later recalled his continued interest in learning about the Catholic faith during this time "We didn't have a Catholic high school in Watertown, but our family did receive the National Catholic Register. Msgr. William Smith used to have beautiful articles explaining the faith. I would wait for it to arrive in the mail every Tuesday and I would read it cover to cover."In his senior year of high school Fox suffered a farm accident with a hay rake that broke his leg. During his recovery, Fox solidified his decision to become a priest.
After graduating from high school in 1947, Fox entered St John's University. Fox recalled that "In those days St. John's taught the traditional Catholic faith", and incoming student's were required to take a religious placement exam." Despite having no formal religious education, he scored 17th out of 350 incoming college freshman, which he attributed to his frequent reading of the National Catholic Register. In 1950, after two terms at Saint John's, Fox transferred to St Paul Seminary in Minneapolis, Minnesota. When not in class, he would watch Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen's television program Life Is Worth Living on the Seminary's television set. Fox graduated from St. Paul in 1955.
Priesthood
Fox was ordained into the priesthood on April 24, 1955, at the Cathedral of St Joseph for Diocese of Sioux Falls by Bishop William Brady.
After his ordination, Fox's first assignment was as an assistant priest in Milbank, South Dakota. In January 1959, he was transferred to St. Anthony's Parish in Hoven, South Dakota; and in August 1959 to Sacred Heart Parish in Yankton, South Dakota. In 1961, Bishop Lambert Hoch assigned Fox as pastor of St. Anthony's Parish in Bristol. South Dakota. Fox wrote letters and articles for Catholic publications and he soon became a weekly columnist for the National Catholic Register.
After the Second Vatican Council's promulgation of the 1964 Decree on Ecumenism, Bishop Hoch authorized Fox to hold an ecumenical Advent prayer service with three Protestant denominations. Over six hundred people attended and the event was covered by the national media, with Fox being called a "new breed" of priest. In 1965 Fox was sent to St. Joseph's Parish in Mobridge, South Dakota; and in 1969 returned to St. Lawrence in Milbank.
Responding to the Vatican Council's call for a greater commitment to Catholic catechesis, Fox became concerned that some people's responses were diluting Catholic doctrine. In response to this, he wrote Religious Education; Its Effects, Its Challenges Today. Reception was mixed. In Milbank, he attempted to implement his ideas from his book into a Catholic school. He was opposed by both the school board and principal, but received encouragement from Cardinal John Wright, Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, who requested six copies of Fox's book.