Pilgrims to South Africa mission witness the blessing of a new chapel
January 16, 2026
Father Ray McHenry and parishioners from central Iowa parishes joined Dr. Jim Blessman and Blessman International in the dedication of a new chapel this month on the grounds of Mater Dei Pastoral Centre in South Africa.
Financial and prayerful support from Iowans helped make the dream of the chapel become reality for Father Sunny John, a Divine Word priest who has served the center for the last 17 years.
The new chapel honors the legacy of Father Sunny. The area was little more than a “bush field” before Father Sunny arrived, said Dr. Blessman.
The former chapel, which seated only about 30 people, had been a liquor store before the Diocese of Polokwane purchased the land and made it into a retreat center. Since Father Sunny’s arrival, he has created a prayerful place for reflection and spiritual growth with Bible studies, retreats, and more.
“Having a Mass or prayer service in the proper chapel is another way of telling them this is our church,” said Father Sunny. “They feel more attached, more close to God.”
Last year was Father McHenry’s 10th pilgrimage to the region. He, Bishop Joensen and the Iowa pilgrims erected outdoor Stations of the Cross on a path leading up a hill. While they were there, they saw a foundation that had been laid for the chapel. But grass was growing in it. Construction had stopped during the pandemic.
Generous donations helped Blessman International and the Diocese of Polokwane complete construction of the chapel at Mater Dei.
This is the second worship space Father Ray McHenry has been instrumental in creating. With his help, a dilapidated church called St. Faustina was replaced with a larger, new worship center with a well for fresh water.
“I can certainly see the faith at work there,” he said. “And the people who’ve come with me, I’d say to a person they have been moved and touched by the experience.”
Father McHenry has seen seeds of faith flourish in impoverished South Africa.
“I can guarantee you I’ve seen the result of the generosity of the people in our Diocese in that part of Africa. The funds have gone to the glory of God.”
This is the fourth worship site taking root in the area thanks to Dr. Jim Blessman. He left a thriving medical career in Des Moines to follow a calling by God to serve the people of South Africa. He has since established Lighthouse Christian Church, Hope Christian Church, facilitated the building of St. Faustina Catholic Church, and helped with the creation of the chapel at Mater Dei.
“It’s all about honoring Christ,” he said. He adeptly evangelizes by sharing the love of God and providing much-needed service to the poorest of the poor. While he created feeding programs that serve 50,000 children, he has dreams of growing the program to feed 100,000 “as God provides,” drilling more wells for clean water, and providing safe restrooms for the poor through his Urbandale-based organization, Blessman International.
Father Ray McHenry celebrates Mass with the assistance of Father Sunny John at a small chapel that once was a liquor store. Today, there is a larger, new chapel built at Mater Dei retreat center in the Diocese of Polokwane thanks to the support of Iowans.