Abraham Alarcon's Blog

Every year around this time I am praying and thinking about what I am going to teach my students at Sunday School. I think a lot more on how I am going to teach them. After 10 years of serving as a catechist at my local parish of St. Elizabeth of Hungary in Washington Heights, NYC , I realized that there is NO WAY I am going to teach 2,000 years of church history, christology, mystagogy, theology and all the other “ologies” out there. It would be Mission Impossible and I am in no way Tom Cruise on a motorcycle. Besides, the students would hate me and so would the parents.  It’s not my purpose as a catechist to teach so much and it would be best to remember that there are 5 simple things that catechists can do for a successful and grace-filled year.  1. Never start your class with prayer.  This may be shocking as you read it but I am serious. I used to begin with a “Good morning” and quickly get a candle, stand in the front of the classroom and have my students...

I have been on Twitter since 2008. Like others, I've tweeted about education, sports, news, and politics. I never thought I'd tweet about God let alone lead a discussion. (Oops! It's called a chat with a hash tag.) My debut came on August 4 when I moderated #ChristianEducators. I have never seen a powerful moment online where people gathered to share and grow in their faith. I am Abe and am blessed to lead you tonight! #ChristianEducators — Abe Alarcon (@abealarcon) August 5, 2016 Having been part of this group for a year or so I noticed that it was a special place to join and express what was in my heart: a deep desire to share my faith with others for 60 minutes via tweets full of inspiring words and visuals every Thursday night.  I also discovered others with the same desire. This past June, I was saddened to find out that the group stopped meeting. Summer vacation will compel many groups on Twitter to pause and take a break. At the same time I let my intent...

In the mid 90's I was younger, slimmer and had more hair on my head. I was in grad school,  working and living on my own. Like any single young man, I had my share of relationships and encounters. My family was always supportive and I had lots of close friends. I thought life was good.  Yet, with so much going for me I was often upset, angry and frustrated with my life. Instead of addressing it in a responsible manner, I acted out. This involved self medication via binge drinking, overeating, casual sex, and lying. Whenever any one of my relationships questioned my behaviors, I chalked it up to me being immature. I used that excuse so much that I perfected it. I got away with so much. I knew I was immature but soon realized I was selfish and manipulative. It was a crazy cycle of deceit and games.  One day, I woke up after a long and uneventful Saturday night of partying and I heard a voice tell me, "Go to church."  Some people might call this exper...

One of the hardest things to do as an adult is to manage my time. As a husband who works full-time and is raising two boys, ages fourteen and three, with my wife in NYC, things can get hectic. Cooking, cleaning, commuting are simple but monotonous tasks that must get done. There is a never-ending to-do list: homework, laundry, playing with the kids, paying bills, and not to mention, spending quality time with my wife.  I am surprised at how we do it day after day, month after month, year after year. Amidst these daily activities, I struggle to find time to eat, sleep, rest, and most of all, pray. I discovered that biking was a great way for me to lose some pounds, reflect and pedal my way towards God.  Last year, my spiritual director, a Jesuit, suggested I try the Jesuits in Britain’s Pray As You Go app .  I found myself listening to it every morning.  The introductory music provides a calming sense of invitation for prayer.  What’s more exciting ...

'Tis the season to wait. People wait. Some are good at it. Some are not. I am not. Is it a skill? Are there any strategies that can be taught to acquire how to wait?  I don't know but what I do know is what I do when I wait.  I do the laundry in my home. Living in the city we do not have a washer/dryer in our apartment so I take our clothes to a laundromat. While I sit and wait for the clothes I write my blog, finish teacher evaluations, or prepare lessons for my religious education class. I write.  Traveling in the city can be stressful especially this time of year. The hustle and bustle of everday life is amplified with holiday shopping. The cars, buses, and trucks congest streets and main thouroughfares; it can get very hectic. You could sit in traffic for a long time. This kind of waiting drives me nuts. If I don't have my wife or a friend to talk to I play uplifting music or begin making phone calls. Waiting in traffic. Ugh!  S...

I can always count on a pair of old brown shoes I have.  They go well with my khakis and blue or white shirts.  My favorite navy blue suit is also a great match with these shoes.  What makes them so special is the soft leather and deep brown classic professional look.  Despite costing me $175 when I purchased them, I can't seem to get rid of them.  I've changed the sole only once in 8 years! Putting them on after summer vacation ... that's right when school is not in session it means administrators can wear shorts and sneakers ... I started thinking about how educators tend to stay with what they know.  The safe.  The secure.  The same old "tricks of the trade" or the same instructional strategies. How difficult is it for us educators to get rid of something?  If its a book, a tool, a piece of furniture or perhaps a way of thinking or doing.  We don't like throwing things away.  It's not in our nature. I guess the...