Fr. Sean Patrick Fox

Fr. Sean P. Fox went home to the Lord Jesus peacefully on Thursday, December 30, 2021.

Fr. Sean was born in Pontoon, near Foxford, county Mayo, on February 12, 1928. After high school, he entered the seminary at All Hallows in Dublin.  He received a Bachelor of Arts and MDiv degree and was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Seattle at All Hallows College in Dublin on June 21, 1953, by Bishop Cornelius Lucey of Cork.

In September 1953, he arrived in Seattle via Chicago by train.  He began his first assignment as priest assistant at St. James Cathedral in November.  In February of 1954, Fr. Sean went to St. Edward in Seattle from 1954 to July 1958.  The parish was building a new church and Fr. Sean’s role was to assist Fr. Michael O’Callaghan with the fund raising.  In July 1958, Fr. Sean went to St. Mark in Shoreline to assist Fr. Ted Sullivan, pastor. Fr. Ted was easy going and Fr. Sean found this to be a pleasant experience after the more serious experience with Fr. Gallagher.  Then in 1962, Fr. Sean was appointed Pastor of Sacred Heart in Battle Ground until 1976. The parish was just finishing a campaign to raise money for a new church, but it didn’t succeed.  In addition, St. John’s mission which was 10 miles away, had been damaged by a very bad storm.  This experience undoubtedly helped him in his next assignment.  In 1976, Fr. Sean was assigned to Mountlake Terrace as pastor.  In 1983 he made an attempt to build a new church. By the end of construction, the church was paid for, and given his stewardship and savings, there was enough to build a new hall and office with only one campaign effort.   He proudly embraced the multicultural communities in the area, for what continues today to be a hallmark of the parish.

Despite being in America for almost 70 years, he stayed connected to his “West of Ireland” roots in Galway, visiting there almost every summer until he was 90.  Since 1980, Fr. Sean suffered with back problems and a stroke in 1996 while in Ireland, ultimately contributed to his retirement from assigned ministry in 2013.

A soft spoken, even hesitant voice, that belied his determination and thoroughness to achieve, he made major contributions to the diocese, especially in his senior years.  His goals were often met, whether they be academic tasks such as establishing the priest’s pension fund and health care plans, visionary projects like the retirement center for priests in Federal Way, or personal health and well-being after his stroke.

He had an encyclopedic knowledge, gained from his natural inquisitiveness and voracious reading from heavy historical volumes to light novels to his daily diet of The Wall Street Journal.  He was an avid sports fan; followed Gonzaga basketball, Notre Dame anything, the Seahawks, and his favorite sport- Golf! Rory McIlroy was his man (or any Irish golfer leading or competing in a tournament). He played a good game himself.

Fr. Sean possessed a gentle manner with an Irish twinkle in his eye.  He was a private man who respected the privacy of others.  He was a man of the Church who recited the Divine Office daily, enjoyed spending time in the company of brother priests and spent much energy in his concern for their welfare. He was a priest-gentleman and wonderful example to be imitated.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let Your perpetual light shine upon him.  May his soul, and all the souls of the faithful departed, rest in peace.

Predeceased by his Parents; Bartholomew and Frances, Sisters; Patricia Canavan, Eileen Foley, Sr. Maureen Annunciata and brothers-in-law, John Ryan and Robert Canavan.  Survived by his sister Rita Ryan, nephews, nieces, grand-nieces and grand-nephew, brother-in-law Bill Foley, relatives and friends.

Condolences can be sent to Fr Fox’s sister, Rita Ryan

85 Dalysfort Road

Salt Hill, Galway, Ireland

H91V8PW

Vigil:

Tuesday, January 11th at 7pm
St. Pius X Church, 22301 58th Ave W, Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043
Fr. Michael Radermacher to preside

Funeral Mass:

Wednesday, January 12th at 11am. Please RSVP to Jennifer Day jennifer.day@seattlearch.org in the Liturgy Office if you plan on attending the funeral Mass
St. Pius X Church, 22301 58th Ave W, Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043

Archbishop Etienne to preside, Fr. Martin Bourke is the homilist

Priests, please bring your own alb and white stole.

Committal: Date and time TBA, Galway, Ireland.