St. Patrick was a missionary. He came to spread faith and goodness, and he did so in an incredible way. He planted the seeds of faith, and we are seeing those seeds still alive and flourishing today. He is not only a saint of the past, but a living presence in our hearts—and that's what we're celebrating today.
I didn't feel included in the Latino community. I always felt left out. Las Comadres has since become a national nonprofit organization. De Hoyos Comstock, petite with a warm smile, describes Las Comadres as a 'Latina culture club.' The current political rhetoric, characterized by the most aggressive immigration enforcement in modern history, is forcing many U.S. citizen Latinos to question whether they belong.
When the world feels chaotic-when grief, uncertainty, or heaviness settles into your body-gratitude can feel distant. Yet these are often the very moments when giving thanks becomes a steadying force. Naming what we're grateful for can't erase hardship, but it can anchor us. It reminds us what is good and what is possible, even in the hardest seasons. Gratitude, from the Latin gratus-thankful, pleasing-is a multidimensional experience.
From July 3 through 9, the Port of New York and New Jersey will host a weeklong spectacle featuring more than 60 international tall ships from more than 20 countries, more than 40 allied and U.S. naval vessels, a British aircraft carrier, Cunard's Queen Mary 2 and an aerial armada of over 100 aircrafts led by the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels. By the numbers alone, it's set to eclipse every Operation Sail celebration that came before it, from 1964 through 2012.
PHILADELPHIA -- The United States Mint has started circulating the first of several new coins commemorating America's 250th birthday year. The Mayflower Compact Quarter was released on Monday. The coin features two pilgrims under a banner that reads E Pluribus Unum, which means "Out of many, one." Four other upcoming new quarters will be minted in Philadelphia. They will each feature designs representing America's history, including the Revolutionary War, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Gettysburg Address.
There's something about the holiday season that makes us all feel like kids again. Maybe it's the crisp air, the smell of pine, or the anticipation of gathering with loved ones. For me, though, it's the lights. Those twinkling, shimmering displays that transform ordinary streets into something magical. Across America, entire towns take this tradition seriously, turning themselves into winter wonderlands that draw visitors from all over the world.
