We have been richly blessed this week. We have a guest writer from Fatima Family Apostolate (Australia) posting on the life and holiness of Fr Robert J Fox from
Please continue to pray for Fr Fox's eternal soul, for all his good works; may they continue to be fruitful including the Fatima Family Apostolate and for many people to be inspired by his holiness and devotion to Our Blessed Mother under the title of Our Lady of Fatima.
TRIBUTE TO FATHER ROBERT J FOX, VALIANT SON OF THE CHURCH
Thursday, November 26, 2009 was the day when Father Robert Joseph Fox, (USA) was called to eternal life after a recent incapacitation by cancer, and after a long and tireless life in the service of His Lord Jesus Christ, and His Blessed Mother.
Many of us - grandparents, parents, young adults, and children - have been educated, formed and inspired by this valiant son of The Church who fearlessly defended the Truths of Christ made known to us through the Magisterium of the Catholic Church which he loved so ardently.
Having written some fifty books on the Catholic Faith under the patronage of Our Lady of Fatima to whom he always had recourse in his teaching, Father Fox was the founder of the Fatima Family Apostolate International, for the sanctification of families and individuals; an apostolate that he was encouraged to found some 25 years ago by Cardinal Gagnon, then Prefect for the Congregation for the Family. To that end Father wrote books, and produced audio and video cassettes as tools for families. For some twenty years he would take youth on two fortnightly summer pilgrimages to Fatima - for 2
weeks he would take male youth, then for a further 2 weeks he would take female youth. Over the course of these pilgrimages, many holy vocations to the Priestly and Religious Life eventuated, as well as many holy Marriages.
Father was a favourite presenter on the Global Catholic Television Network, EWTN, founded by Mother Angelica of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration. Here Father Fox offered Mass daily at the Shrine of The Most Blessed Sacrament during the last seven years until incapacitated recently by cancer.
He contributed many articles to leading Catholic papers in USA. His magazine, The Immaculate Heart Messenger which he began 25 years ago and being the vehicle of communication between FFA members, has a world wide circulation, including Australia. He was invited to speak in several capital cities here in Australia in 1996 and again in 2001.
The message of Our Lady of Fatima was fundamental to Father Fox's untiring catechesis. He constantly reiterated what successive Popes stated: "Fatima is a reaffirmation of the Gospel." On September 21, 1998, Father was able to take to the Carmelite Monastery in Coimbra, Portugal a special 4’2” statue of the Immaculate Heart of Mary destined for the first Shrine to Our Lady of Fatima in Russia which was dedicated in St. Petersburg.
Our Lady of Fatima.
With all who knew him, with all who attribute their faith formation and education to him, with all who have aspired to holiness through his encouragement, in this Year of the Priest we now pray through the intercession of the Blessed Mother Whom he loved so well:
O Immaculate Conception, Pure radiance of Purity, Mother of unutterable Splendour, take this faithful son of Yours and our brother, Father Robert Fox.
Present him to Your Beloved Son Whom we beseech to give him the reward for which he so tirelessly laboured. Let him hear those indelible words,
"Come, O blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
FFA
Australia
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.
Amen.
