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FAYETTEVILLE—St. Mary’s Academy junior Keaton Garcia has been named a 2026 international finalist for the FIRST Leadership Award. The achievement recognized his success in robotics and community involvement. FIRST , a global organization for the youth robotics community, presents the award to students who demonstrate strong leadership skills and a commitment to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Students are nominated by their teams and teachers and are then evaluated on their contributions to both robotics and community outreach. “Keaton is one of the top robotics students I...

Happiness isn’t getting what you want
It’s wanting what you got
– Garth Brooks I tend not to get too philosophical, but the above quote has always resonated with me. There’s nothing wrong with wanting more, but being content with your current situation ensures that you’re not trying to keep up with the Joneses. That being said, in order to want what you got, you need to know what you got. According to Credit Karma, 51% of Americans – and 61% of American women – don’t know how to calculate their net worth. Perhaps more disturbing, 31% of Americans have a net worth of zero or less and 30% of...

“The most likely outcome is that AI and robots make everyone wealthy. In fact, far wealthier than the richest person on Earth.” – Elon Musk, November 2025 Most of you reading this issue of Wealthy Retirement have been successful because you worked hard, saved your money, and made the right decisions in the markets. Here’s the real question: What is the fundamental source of your wealth and a higher standard of living? One of my favorite talks I’ve given was titled “What Really Drives the Economy: Consumer Spending, Business Investment, or Government Stimulus?” The financial media often runs...

VATICAN CITY (OSV News)–Pope Leo XIV offered Easter Mass in St. Peter’s Square Sunday proclaiming that with Christ’s resurrection “death has been conquered forever” and “no longer has power over us.” “Today all of creation is resplendent with new light, a song of praise rises from the earth, and our hearts rejoice: Christ is risen from the dead, and with him, we too rise to new life,” the pope said. Pope Leo declared that Easter “embraces the mystery of our lives and the destiny of history, reaching us even in the depths of death, where we feel threatened and sometimes overwhelmed. It opens...

VATICAN CITY (CNS)–A message of nonviolence and quiet endurance marked the Good Friday liturgy at the Vatican, during which the Passion of Christ offers an example of breaking the cycle of violence that continues today. Delivering the homily during the solemn Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion ahead of the evening Via Crucis, Capuchin Father Roberto Pasolini, the papal preacher, urged the faithful not to give into violence, but rather find the “discreet and stubborn song that invites (us) to love.” “We are all constantly tempted to use a little bit of aggressiveness, a little bit of violence,...

More than twenty years ago, I began my career at Avalon Research Group – a boutique equity research firm that did something unusual. Instead of pitching ideas to everyday investors, we sold our research and stock recommendations directly to hedge funds. These portfolio managers weren’t looking for stocks everyone else had already bought. They wanted one thing from us. An edge. One of the analysts I worked with had a gift for finding it. His specialty was biotech – and he didn’t approach it the way most people do. He didn’t care about charts, momentum, or whatever was trending. He focused on...

The market is pricing affordability headwinds in the housing sector as potentially crushing to operators across the industry. And it’s pricing one company in particular as though those headwinds will define its future indefinitely. But as we’ll see shortly, that is not what the cash flow record shows. D.R. Horton (NYSE: DHI) has been the largest homebuilder in the United States by volume since 2002. The company operates in 126 markets across 36 states, building homes from entry-level to move-up price points, alongside its rental housing, lot development, and mortgage services businesses. For...

When I look at many of the brands owned by Kraft Heinz (Nasdaq: KHC), it takes me back to my childhood: Cool Whip, Kool-Aid, Jell-O, Kraft Singles, Oscar Mayer, and, of course, Kraft Mac & Cheese, a staple in the diet of nearly every kid born between 1950 and today. It’s a tougher market for Kraft Heinz now than when I was growing up. Today, store brands compete strongly with national brands. They’re cheaper and often just as good. Among Kraft’s lineup of brands, the only ones I go out of my way to buy are Heinz ketchup and Philadelphia Cream Cheese. Fortunately for the company and its...

ATLANTA–Calling the March 31 Chrism Mass “a moment of grace for our entire local church,” Archbishop Gregory J. Hartmayer, OFM Conv., consecrated the chrism and blessed the oils of the catechumens and the sick to be used in parishes for the next year. During the late afternoon Mass at the Cathedral of Christ the King, Archbishop Hartmayer honored jubilarian priests and led all priests in renewing the promises made at their ordinations. “Jesus is both priest and victim. This is the mystery at the center of our priestly identity,” the archbishop told the priests. “Jesus lays himself on the...

I am often asked the question, “How does one become a bishop?”    Bishop Bernard E. Shlesinger III There is a secretive nominating and vetting process that precedes being appointed a bishop. In my case, I was completely unaware that I was even being considered as a candidate. When the call came to me from the apostolic nuncio who told me the Holy Father had appointed me as an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of Atlanta, I was expected to answer in the affirmative with no time to think of the consequences of my response. I realized later that I did not know what becoming a bishop really...

In my 20s, I started out on a trading desk where traders rarely held any positions overnight. They were day traders who got in and out of their trades in a matter of hours – and sometimes minutes. As my career evolved and long-term investing became my focus, I shifted my goal to owning “Perpetual Dividend Raisers” for multiple years. Now I find stocks that my readers should be able to hold indefinitely as the companies raise their payouts every year. But that’s investing. On the trading side, it’s appealing to be in and out quickly. With some stocks, you have to wait a few weeks for a...

“If you’re not healthy, you’re not wealthy.”
– R.E. McMaster (The Maxims of Wall Street, Page 121) Recently, The New York Times published an alarming article on gout, once called the “disease of kings,” and it reminded me of Benjamin Franklin, who in old age suffered from gout in his feet (as well as kidney stones). The Times reported, “Globally, gout rates have climbed more than 20 percent since 1990, rising alongside rates of other chronic conditions like obesity, which can worsen the disease. In the United States, the condition affects more than 12 million and is up to four times as common...

VATICAN CITY (OSV News)–In his first Palm Sunday homily, Pope Leo XIV proclaimed that Jesus, the King of Peace, embraces all suffering in human history and cries out from the cross against war. “Brothers and sisters, this is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no one can use to justify war,” the pope said in St. Peter’s Square March 29. “He does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: ‘Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood’ (Is 1:15).” Pope Leo repeated the phrase “King of Peace” seven times...

TUCKER—In January, Pope Leo XIV announced a special Jubilee Year in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, commemorating the 800th anniversary of his death.    The Jubilee Year will be celebrated from January 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027.    The Holy Father invited the faithful from every corner of the world to reflect, renew and walk anew in the footsteps of the popular saint.    In Franciscan spirit, parishes, ministries and Franciscan communities have rallied with joyful anticipation to prepare for this sacred occasion.    Here in the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Holy Cross Church, under the care of...

(OSV News)–The Church’s celebration of Holy Week is a solemn time for Catholics around the world to contemplate the final days of Jesus Christ and commemorate his passion, death and resurrection. It also provides an opportunity to reflect on one’s own mortality and on the price paid for mankind’s sins, which opened the doors to heaven for each and every one. Yet seeing with one’s own eyes how a Christian makes that final, arduous journey can also be a source of consolation. During Holy Week 2025, Pope Francis was called to share in the mystery of Christ’s passion. No one knows whether he had...

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Energy markets have been anything but calm, with shifting oil prices and investor skepticism keeping midstream stocks under pressure. Yet beneath that volatility, some companies continue to generate steady cash and return capital – even as their valuations lag the broader market. Plains All American Pipeline (Nasdaq: PAA) is a major crude oil midstream operator focused on transportation, storage, and logistics across North America. The company has been actively reshaping its portfolio, emphasizing crude oil assets while divesting parts of its natural gas liquid business to streamline...

CUMMING–Father Michael Shannon, a priest of the Legionaries of Christ died March 18. He was 70 years old. Father Michael Shannon, LC Father Shannon, who had been serving as parochial vicar of St. Brendan the Navigator Church in Cumming for the last few years, sought to bring joy to all he encountered. “He was always quick to smile and quick to serve. He always had something positive to say to those he worked with and all he met. He loved the parish, he loved to bring joy to everyone around him, and everyone loved him,” shared Father Scott Reilly, LC, pastor of St. Brendan the Navigator. As...

This week in Safety Net, we’re highlighting a company with a decent dividend that is unlikely to be cut in the future. In fact, it’s more likely to be increased than be cut. With everything going on in the world, it’s getting increasingly hard to find stocks that have stayed strong in this uncertain market. Yet as of this writing, while the S&P 500 has lost 5% of its value in 2026, this week’s stock has steadily grown by almost 10%. That stock is Restaurant Brands International (NYSE: QSR). The company formed in 2014 when Burger King and Tim Hortons merged under the new name and ticker...

The Georgia Bulletin launches “Sent to Serve: Profiles of religious life in Atlanta.” The regular series will look at the charisms and work of the religious order priests and sisters serving in the archdiocese.   ATLANTA—Looking back on her first visit to the Hawthorne Dominican motherhouse more than three decades ago, Sister Teresa Marie Barnaby, OP, knew immediately that it was the order she was looking for.   “What really struck me the most was the love with which the sisters were caring for their patients,” she said. “It was so personalized and loving, and genuine. As they said to me...

ATLANTA—More than five decades after an abortion she said changed her life, Kathryn “Trinnie” Siegel stood before the crowd at Georgia March for Life with a message about healing. Her story and the ministry she now serves through Post Abortion Treatment and Healing (PATH) reflected a theme heard throughout the day, that the pro-life movement must also accompany those affected by an abortion. On March 12, parishioners, families and students of the Archdiocese of Atlanta and other pro-life advocates spent the day advocating for life. That morning, many gathered at the Shrine of the Immaculate...

ATLANTA— Catholic Charities Atlanta (CCA) announced the 2026 recipients of the Bishop’s Award as Jean Ann and Barry C. McCarthy. The award was given at the organization’s annual soirée on Feb. 21.   Jean Ann and Barry McCarthy The Bishop’s Award is Catholic Charities Atlanta’s highest honor, recognizing an individual or couple whose leadership, compassion and service have strengthened the organization’s mission to empower families and build self-sufficiency.    The McCarthys have been volunteers, board members and advocates for CCA for more than two decades. Jean Ann is a retired CFO, most...

Can you think of a worse choice to manage money than a federal government bureaucrat? It’s hard enough for professional money managers to beat the market. In 2025, nearly two-thirds of active mutual funds underperformed their benchmarks. These highly educated men and women spend all day watching the markets and analyzing stocks. So how do you think a federal employee is going to do? It’s an important question because in the past year, the federal government has begun taking large stakes in public companies. When it has taken equity in a company in the past, it was as part of a bailout...

There’s a common comparison that equates stock buybacks to dating and dividends to marriage. I think that’s unfair to dating. Some people date hoping for a little action. But many people date looking for love and a long-term relationship. I’d compare buybacks to Tinder, the dating app that is mostly used for one-night stands or casual hookups. See something you like? Swipe right, and you could have Barry White playing in the background in a few hours (though I doubt most people who use Tinder own any Barry White albums). While buybacks are popular, they’re often a terrible use of cash. Share...

Editor’s Note: For today’s Wealthy Retirement, I’m handing the reins to Keith Kaplan, CEO of TradeSmith. Keith’s team builds the kind of analytical tools most of us have only heard about in the context of billion-dollar hedge funds – and they’ve spent years making that technology accessible to self-directed investors like you . I invited him to share a breakthrough his engineers have been working on, and I think you’ll find it well worth your time. He’ll explain even more at his Super AI Trading Event next week. Go here to reserve your spot for free! – James Ogletree, Senior Managing Editor...