Ingram's July 2026

INSPIRATIONS

by Joe Sweeney, Ingram’s Publisher and Edtior-in-Chief

Inspiration from Mother Teresa: Meet Father Brian Kolodiejchuk

Father Brian and Dr. Gary Morsch make an inspiring presentation and KC’s ties to Saint Teresa

Years before he was appointed postulator of the cause for Mother Teresa’s canonization, Father Brian Kolodiejchuk could tell that something was different about this soft-spoken nun from Calcutta. “Everyone knew that we were in the presence of a saint because of the effect that she had on people,” he says. They met in 1977—inaugurating a friendship that would last the rest of her life. Today, Fr. Kolodiejchuk leads the Mother Teresa Institute, and is known for his previous roles as the Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity Fathers and postulator of the Causes of Beatification and Canonization of Mother Teresa. During their 20-year friendship, he learned from her example of holiness, kindness, and selfless service. Through an exclusive conversation with the National Shrine, he shares insights into the selfless love and faith of one of the world’s most beloved saints. The world may define Mother Teresa’s legacy by her accomplishments—from her receipt of the Nobel Peace prize to the plethora of humanitarian efforts she led—but those in the Church view them

as the outpouring of a steadfast faith. “She exceled in faith,” Fr. Kolodiejchuk says. “You need a lot of faith to live in the darkness.” But what was it that set her faith apart? What was it that made people flock from afar if only to be near her and learn from her devotion? The answer, according to Fr. Kolodiejchuk, starts with her overwhelming focus on others. Throughout her life, Mother Teresa always went out of her way to serve others and show her care for them, no matter who they were. “For us, her children,” shares Fr. Kolodiejchuk, “she was like a real mother.” A spirit of humility was the foundation of her work, her kindness, or her exceptional gifts. As for the constant tributes she received for her work, she once told Fr. Kolodiejchuk, “God has given me the gift that what I hear—all the praise and adulation—goes in one ear and out the other.” Above all else, she was a woman “passionately in love with Jesus” and the way she lived out that love brought people together from all different backgrounds and inspired them in turn to “put love for God in living action,” Fr. Kolodiejchuk says. She believed that “love gives meaning to everything. And we can do that anywhere,” whether you’re a housewife, a worker or a student in school. Ultimately, her focus on selfless love is what truly set her faith apart and left a legacy that continues to inspire people around the world. It was a faith that aspired not to accomplish the greatest things, but to fulfill the little things with great love, as she herself once said: “Do ordinary things with extraordinary love. [Do] small things [with] great love.”

THE MISSION EDITION This New Special Edition is Coming in December 2026 and Will Polybag and be Distributed with THE PHILANTHROPY EDITION

This year marks the 30th Anniversary of Ingram’s December PHILANTHROPY EDITION and we’re proud to have shared our blueprint with nearly 100 publishers throughout North and Central America and inspired business publications to dedicate the theme of their December edition to the subject of Philanthropy. This year, we’re launching a new and exciting print and digital publication that will be delivered with the December Philanthropy Edition: THE MISSION EDITION. The inspiration for it comes from the many surgeons and medical teams who have traveled around the world and selflessly volunteered to save lives and serve mankind. In addition to Medical Missions, this publication will include stories of many other missions—those to build homes for people in need and provide emergency relief. THE MISSION EDITION was inspired in part by Mother Teresa, who was canonized and named St. Teresa in 2016. More than two dozen volunteers attended a July 22 presentation by Fr. Brian Kolodiejchuk and Dr. Gary Morsch, both of whom had met and worked with her in India. As a young physician at her side in Calcutta, Dr. Morsch was inspired to create Heart to Heart International. Founded in 1992, this Lenexa, Kan.-based non-profit has performed hundreds of charitable missions, providing medical aid and strengthens healthcare systems in underserved communities and disaster zones globally and domesticcally. THE MISSION EDITION will share stories about Heart to Heart and other local and regional missions that include volunteers from the bi-state region. Kansas City is the Heart of America not just for its geography: It’s an epicenter of medical and humanitarian mission work serving mankind worldwide. The editors at Ingram’s believe these stories should be shared, and with their assistance, we’ll align to produce and deliver the debut issue of THE MISSION EDITION in December. Sponsored content pricing will be deeply discounted for organizations that care to share their stories. We’re confident this will further inspire Ingram’s readers and we hope it will further stimulate more support going forward. Please contact Publisher Joe Sweeney at 816.679.1828 or email JSweeney@Ingrams.com to learn more and to claim your position in this purposeful new publication.

KANSAS CITY’S BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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