Robert J. Fox

Robert J. Fox
Fox in Portugal, 1992
Born	(1927-12-24)December 24, 1927 Watertown, South Dakota, United States
Died	November 26, 2009(2009-11-26) (aged 81) United States

Robert J. Fox (December 24, 1927-November 26, 2009) was an American priest of the Roman Catholic faith. He was a prolific author of religious books, and appeared on many Roman Catholic television programs and conferences. Fox also served as a diocesan priest for several rural towns in South Dakota. He was the Director of the International Fatima Family Apostolate and Youth for Fatima Pilgrimages , editor of the Immaculate Heart Messenger, and his writings appeared frequently in other Catholic publications in the US. He began the Marian Congress in the United States which is held annually and attended by thousands.

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 he 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 let him go where he pleased and that 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."

Fox attended Immaculate Conception elementary school which was run by Franciscan nuns. There Fox learnt of Padre Pio (whose physical wounds were held by many Catholics to be an example of the miraculous charism of the stigmata) this further inspired him to pursue the priesthood.

He went on to attend Watertown High School a public school. 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."