By CatholicPhilly Staff • Posted September 13, 2024

The Friends of Father Judge High School, Inc. has received a $1 million gift from 1989 graduate and board member Michael D. Sicilia, the school announced Sept. 13. It’s the second such gift the all-boys school has received from an alum since August.

In the fall of 2023, Father Judge High School launched a three-year fundraising campaign, “The Campaign for 3301, Securing the Future of Father Judge.”

The campaign, which aims to ensure Father Judge’s sustainability into the future, includes four initiatives including the construction of the 20,000 square foot, state-of-the-art Career Pathways Academy building; the renovation of science labs; athletic renovations to locker rooms and training areas; and investment in the Campellone Endowment, named after former school president Reverend Joseph G. Campellone, OSFS, which provides support to students and their families.

>>SEE RELATED: Father Judge Gets $1 Million Gift from Alum

“Supporting Father Judge High School is truly an honor and a privilege,” said Sicilia. “The valuable lessons I learned within its community have left me forever grateful. I take pride in being affiliated with an institution that is dedicated to preparing its students to make a positive impact on the world.”

Sicilia, who grew up in Mayfair neighborhood of Philadelphia and attended grade school at Our Lady of Consolation, currently serves as the Executive Vice President of Oracle’s vertical industry businesses.

“Mike is an example to every kid in the Father Judge Community that you can be anything you want in life, if you are willing to put in hard work, remain disciplined, and follow the Salesian values we preach here each day,” said Brian Patrick King ‘97, President of Father Judge.

“Having the financial support of this magnitude from someone of his caliber means a great deal to me and we are grateful for his ongoing support of time, treasure, and talent.”

This is the second campaign-related gift the school has received from Sicilia since 2020. The current gift brings his total charitable support for Father Judge to $2 million.

The Friends of Father Judge High School is a non-profit founded in 2002 specifically to fund-raise for the Northeast Philadelphia archdiocesan high school for boys.

To date, including Sicilia’s commitment, the school has secured $15.7 million towards its campaign goal of $20 million.