Keith Michael Fox RIP: Tribute to a Lay Missionary
Fr Malcolm Fyfe has sent this story of a man who gave much of his active life as a Lay Missionary in Port Moresby and Darwin.
It is with great sadness that we share the news that Keith Michael Fox died Friday, May 15th, at his home address in Bagot Road, Darwin. Mick had been suffering from significant medical issues for quite some time. He was 70 years of age. He is survived by his 4 children Liam, Conor, Nuala, Riona and their mother Chris.
Mick was born in Bundaberg 1949, the second of 3 boys David, Mick and Shane. His father worked on the railways and the family moved to Tully in North Queensland while the children were still young.
Mick became a Catholic at 16 years of age and a couple of years after leaving school, he put himself through years 11 and 12, so he could enter the seminary. After a year or so, he decided the priesthood might not be for him. He then went to PNG as a lay missionary in 1972 as Secretary to Archbishop Virgil Copas msc in Port Moresby. There were many lay missionaries in PNG at the time, but things were changing as Independence approached (1975), with a lot of local unrest prevailing. After a couple of years, Mick went further afield to work with the French Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in the Port Moresby area. The French priests were so grateful for Mick’s work with them that they subsequently organised a Papal Honour for him.
In 1980 as Director of Catholic Education, I recruited Mick as Assistant. With wife Chris and their young family, they initially lived and worked at the Gsell Centre for Catholic Missions. Both daughters, Nuala and Riona were born here.
In the CEO of those days, Mick was something of a factotum, he could do practically anything and do it competently.
I have received the wonderful news that at least one of the four children, Conor, has been able to get an authorisation to travel from Brisbane to Darwin for their father’s funeral.
Mick will be mourned by friends and acquaintances and by the many people he assisted over the years as an active member of the St Vincent de Paul Society, as a very committed member of the St Martin de Porres Parish and as Resource Person for migrants and refugees on behalf of the diocese.
In summary, the Catholic Diocese of Darwin acknowledges Mick’s extraordinary amount of pro bono lay ministry dating back to his arrival here 40 years ago.
Requiem Mass for Keith Michael Fox will be celebrated next Monday May 25th by Bishop Charles Gauci in St Mary’s Cathedral, Darwin at 10 am.
