President's Message

August, 2026

Dear Judge Community,

When I began my service during my first week as President of Father Judge High School, I encountered many familiar scenes, reminiscent of my own time as a student at Judge: cross-country runners boarding vans to travel to camp, football players completing their morning workouts, National Honor Society and Student Council leaders welcoming new students for orientation and Summer Readiness, and more than 200 new Crusaders coming together as one to pray the Salesian Direction of Intention as a community of faith on their first day at our school. 

Our patron, Saint Francis de Sales, reminds us, “The beginning of good things is good; the progress, better; the end, best.” At the start of this journey, as an alum, I am comforted by the familiar scenes I have witnessed, but I am also energized by the progress Father Judge has made as our school prepares Salesian Gentlemen for success in college, careers, and beyond. 

During their first three days on campus, our new students were introduced to the Salesian Seven, which encapsulates the spirituality of St. Francis de Sales in a practical way and provides an essential foundation for navigating the challenges of today’s world. They learned about academic opportunities such as increased college credits for Advanced Placement and dual enrollment courses, and were introduced to the Career Pathways Academy, whose students were highlighted in a national publication in August, 2026.

Our plan is not to stand still, but to build upon this progress and maintain this momentum as we strive to make Father Judge not only the premier Catholic high school in the area, but also a model for the entire country. 

At Father Judge, we embrace our mission to educate “the whole young man spiritually, intellectually, physically, emotionally, and socially in the Catholic tradition”  —not only to create more familiar scenes, but also craft new and exciting opportunities for their current Judge experience and for their future. I will remember you in my prayers and I ask the same of you. 

In Salesian Spirit and Crusader Pride, 

James D. Meredith ’92
President