Thank God was the opening phrase of grace, as eighty parishioners and friends gathered at Thursday’s senior luau.

Cheery smiles and flowered shirts abounded in the tropically festooned parish hall. San Diego Catering Co. provided a yummy teriyaki chicken, rice and fresh fruit lunch, while Hawaiian music played in the background.

As dessert rolled out, our special guest Kathy Heali’i and her son Anthony sat upon the stage to play traditional island instruments and sing songs. As the drum rhythms increased in tempo, daughter Edie took center stage with a rousing, hip shaking hula, dressed in a traditional grass skirt. Adult students learning Polynesian dances then performed with their teacher Kumu Kathy.

The audience was brought into the show, as Kathy led them in doing the “Hulilau”, replete with hula arm movements. Edie returned to dance on and off stage in a shimmering green grass skirt while her brother sang a rainbow song, which Kathy translated for us. The audience truly appreciated not only their performance, but what the Heali’i family does to preserve Polynesian culture. $300 was donated by the guests to support the Heali’i Polynesian Dance classes taught by this family.

Join us next July for an encore performance of this wonderful parish family. Next month, our senior fiesta will highlight Hispanic culture. Join us on Thursday, Sept 19th, for cheese and chicken enchiladas. Vaya con Dios.