This picture of Izzy Enriquez and Father Adondee Arellano was taken at Izzy’s first holy Communion at Holy Ghost Church, Kula Maui. (Photo courtesy of Mary Jean Bega)
By Mary Jean Bega
Special to the Herald
Izzy Enriquez is a fifth grader at Pukalani Elementary School on Maui and attends religious education classes at Holy Ghost Mission Church in Kula. His school celebrates Leadership Day every year. Visitors in the community are invited to the school to witness the outstanding leadership skills of the students through various activities and presentations. Unfortunately, because of the coronavirus outbreak, the event, which would have been in March, was canceled.
The fifth grade presents a “living wax museum.” Each student chooses a leader, writes a report and a one-minute monologue. They dress as their leader, first posing frozen like a statue, then “coming to life” to share their monologue with the guests.
Instead of choosing a famous leader from the past that everyone knows, Izzy chose someone closer to home who is very dear to his heart — La Salette Father Adondee Arellano.
Father Arellano has been an important part of Izzy’s life. He celebrated Izzy’s sacraments of Reconciliation, first holy Communion and Confirmation. He also trained him to become an altar server.
Izzy interviewed Father Arellano while he was still pastor in Kula. (He recently transferred to St. Joseph Parish, Waipahu.) He asked the priest to define a leader. Father Arellano said, “A good leader should be a good follower and have the value of listening and humility to accept that he or she is not perfect.”
Why did Izzy choose Father Arellano?
“I chose Father Adondee as my leader to research because he is kind and a good role model,” Izzy said.
According to Izzy’s mom, Sherry Enriquez, “It was an easy choice for Izzy; he was his only choice.”
Mary Jean Bega is a parishioner at Our Lady Queen of Angels, Kula. When she heard Izzy’s story, she thought it was worth sharing with Hawaii Catholic Herald readers. “It goes to show how much of an impact priests have on our youth,” she said.
