Fr. Raymond Fitzgerald, S.J. ’76 is the main celebrant of the monthly Mass held Thursday, April 10 in the Chapel of the North American Martyrs for the Jesuit community of students, faculty, and staff. The April Mass is the last one of the 2013-14 school year for the whole student body before Fr. Fitzgerald steps down as president of Jesuit next month to focus on his health and fighting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) disease. Father Fitz, you will always be in our hearts and in our prayers.

Members of the Chorus, led by Ms. Kate Arthurs-Goldberg, practice in the Chapel of the North American Martyrs Wednesday after school. The Chorus was spending the afternoon preparing for the school-wide Mass tomorrow and the Stations of the Cross next Wednesday. The chorus assists the school community at all liturgical functions. Members of the chorus grow their musical talents through technical training in voice, music reading, interpretation, and appreciation.

Just before the end of the school day, Blue Jays heard a tapping on the windows—a noise a little different from seasonal rainfall. According to the WeatherBug perched atop the school building, the percussion was caused by pellets of hail brought in with a cluster of strong thunderstorms moving through the southeast. Stadium manager Floyd Guidry captured this picture of hail covering the field at John Ryan Stadium.

Pre-freshman Matthew Richards finds a shady spot in the Traditions Courtyard to peruse the April issue of The Blue Jay Monday after school. Print copies of the fifth issue of the 2013-2014 school year are available in the Student Commons while supplies last. Copies of this issue, as well as past issues, are posted on The Blue Jay Newspaper page. View the online version of Vol. 86, No. 5, April 2014.

Annette, the red-shouldered hawk who with her mate Dennis built a nest in one of the Banks Street oak trees next to Jesuit High School, was screeching a little more often than usual on Friday. She had good reason to. One of the two eggs Annette has been incubating for the last month suddenly hatched around noon. The hatchling, weighing perhaps 1.2 ounces, appears hungry, while nervous mom keeps a sharp and wary eye on the Wild Photographer. Hopefully, Dennis will come to his senses and soon show up with the groceries for Annette and her brood.

Senior Colin Burgess helps sell pizza for homeroom 1203 to raise money for the Lenten Mission Drive. Mr. Cyril Lagvanec has coordinated the fundraiser for his homeroom for five years running. This year the senior homeroom will buy a total of 650 pizzas and sell slices at $2 a piece. To date, the class has raised over $1,000 for the drive.

Top Abshire, Jesuit’s prefect of discipline, and Marine instructor JR Piseno, soak up the early morning sunshine, and engage in earnest conversation while MCJROTC cadets practice their maneuvers and drilling in preparation for their upcoming Parade & Review. The annual review will take place Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

An anonymous donor has appointed $18.47 million to build and maintain a new 5-story parking garage next to the Roussel Building on Banks Street. “I was inspired by the newly-paved street and my loyalty to the school,” said the donor. The brick-faced building will be the most technologically advanced of its kind, but will honor the decor of Mid-City. “I want it to look like a renovated double, only bigger,” the donor added. It will hold 650 cars, affording each junior, senior, and faculty member his or her own reserved parking space. Amenities will include beverage services, weekly car detailing, and a concierge for special events. The project is set to begin in 2026, commemorating the 100th anniversary of Jesuit’s presence on Carrollton and Banks. Happy April Fools’ Day!

A vacuum sweeper truck makes its way through the school yard, cleaning up the last remaining evidence of the 2014 Blue Jay Bazaar. Less than 24 hours before, the yard was filled with a large stage, tents, booths, confetti, and other evidence of a fun-filled day with the Jesuit community. Hundreds of workers and volunteers helped set up — and then take down — the various equipment, tables, tents, games, and stages required to host the annual event. View photos of the 2014 Bazaar.

Meet Annette, a red-shouldered hawk which is nesting in one of the large oaks on Banks Street adjacent to Jesuit High School. Anticipating the spring season and all that comes with it, Annette and her red-shouldered mate, Dennis, built a cozy home in the oak’s branches about five weeks ago. The Wild Photographer snapped this photo Friday when Annette was looking rather beleaguered. She was soaked from the drenching thunderstorms that plagued the New Orleans area. Annette rarely leaves her nest as she has been nurturing two fine looking eggs for the past couple of weeks. Dennis seems to be a protective mate as he is always nearby, his cries readily heard when he detects any sense of intrusion. It may seem strange that the two hawks have taken up residence along a busy stretch of Banks Street, as opposed to a more quiet nature setting where ornithologists have their binoculars trained on them. The pair of hawks seems to be oblivious to the cacophony of an endless procession of distractions taking place far below on the street. Maybe it’s entertainment to them — workers resurfacing Banks, car doors slamming, truck horns, and sirens of racing fire engines — through it all Annette and Dennis have been stoic and unworried. Certainly by now they feel at home in Mid-City. After all, they are among birds of a feather — all 1,410 Blue Jays.

A trio of sophomores — from left, Gavin Gusler, Austin Ashburn, and Devyn Campiso — studies several flyers promoting student council candidates. Student council candidates are free to create the clever, imaginative, and often very funny flyers to help promote their campaigns for various offices. Candidates will give their campaign speeches on Tuesday, April 1, with elections to follow the next day. If necessary, a runoff will be held on Thursday, April 3.

Senior Jake Eccles turns in his Bazaar raffle tickets to parent volunteer Dina Skinner and takes a piece a candy as a quick treat. The larger reward for each student who turns in his raffle tickets by Friday, March 28, is an incentive holiday on Monday, March 31. The Blue Jay Bazaar is Sunday, March 30, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Ubiquitous as he ever was, Jayson stands at the main gate that serves as an entrance and exit at John Ryan Stadium. The Jesuit mascot had just emerged from the grandstand area where he mingled with Blue Jay fans and led the cheering for the Jesuit baseball team. Turns out that Jayson was searching for something cold to quench his parched throat, er, beak. and he found it at the concession stand. While he yearns for sunflower seeds, Jayson knows those are not allowed in the stadium. Besides, he gave up the delicacy for Lent.

Seniors Ryan Ellinghausen (standing, right), Patrick Steen, and Thomas Nimmo take names of students who want to compete in the March Madness tournament that will support the Mission Drive sponsored by the Sodality. Students crowded behind the sign-up tables in the Commons to take aim at their best shot at winning the 10% of the earnings while the rest of the income will support the drive.

While being measured and fitted for his Jesuit letterman jacket, junior Austin Pfister tries on a sample jacket to test out the jacket’s length and fit. Blue Jay athletes who played on one or more of Jesuit’s basketball, soccer, and wrestling teams received their stripes and were measured for their letterman jackets today.

Sophomores in Master Gunnery Sgt. J.R. Piseno’s leadership education class fill out a questionnaire where they examine their own strengths and weaknesses as well as identify classmates’ strengths. The responses will be used to help the cadets learn and grow as they continue through the Marine Corps JROTC Program.