load properties in spring

public Properties loadProperties() {
		PropertiesFactoryBean propertiesFactoryBean = new PropertiesFactoryBean();
		propertiesFactoryBean.setLocation(new ClassPathResource("/xxxxx.properties"));
		Properties properties = null;
		try {
			propertiesFactoryBean.afterPropertiesSet();
			properties = propertiesFactoryBean.getObject();
 
		} catch (IOException e) {
			log.warn("Cannot load quartz.properties.");
		}
 
		return properties;
	}