BONNIE VERSBONCOEUR
Senior Priest Emeritus
Bonnie has been a student of zen since the late 1970s when she moved her family from hometown Green Bay Wisconsin to Minneapolis, bringing with her a UWGB undergrad degree in Sociology and masters in Environmental Arts and Sciences.
Many people had told her about MZMC and the kind teacher. When she first heard Katagiri give a lecture in the overpacked zendo, she did not know he was speaking English. Yet, somehow, her heart heard, and she felt a great peace and healing.
She was not looking for a religion or a male teacher. But if this person Katagiri, and zen practice, had something to do with the healing experience and the truth her heart was hearing, then, YES!
She studied with Katagiri from 1978, receiving the precepts in 1982 and beginning the conversation about priest training for ordination.
Circumstances took her to the midcoast of Maine in 1986, and she continued to study with Katagiri until his transition in 1990.
She went back to MZMC each year for retreats, practice periods, and priests training for ordination in 1997. Tim Burkett honored that ordination in 2004.
Bonnie’s interest in the many conflicts around life and death brought her back to Minneapolis in 2008-2009 for a two year clinical pastoral education program as chaplain training. She then served 10 years in her little town in midcoast Maine as the hospice chaplain. Tim Burkett, then Abbott of MZMC, completed Bonnie’s dharma transmission (permission to teach independently) in 2013.
In September of 2021, she realized she was too far from her elderly family members, dear “old “ friends, and zen center. Relocating back to Twin Cities has given her the opportunity to participate in programs, retreats, classes and one-to-one mentorship at MZMC.
It has been lovely seeing and supporting family members going through transitions. She is happy to have made this very successful move, wishing all of Maine and the Atlantic Ocean could have come along.
Senior Priest Emeritus
Bonnie has been a student of zen since the late 1970s when she moved her family from hometown Green Bay Wisconsin to Minneapolis, bringing with her a UWGB undergrad degree in Sociology and masters in Environmental Arts and Sciences.
Many people had told her about MZMC and the kind teacher. When she first heard Katagiri give a lecture in the overpacked zendo, she did not know he was speaking English. Yet, somehow, her heart heard, and she felt a great peace and healing.
She was not looking for a religion or a male teacher. But if this person Katagiri, and zen practice, had something to do with the healing experience and the truth her heart was hearing, then, YES!
She studied with Katagiri from 1978, receiving the precepts in 1982 and beginning the conversation about priest training for ordination.
Circumstances took her to the midcoast of Maine in 1986, and she continued to study with Katagiri until his transition in 1990.
She went back to MZMC each year for retreats, practice periods, and priests training for ordination in 1997. Tim Burkett honored that ordination in 2004.
Bonnie’s interest in the many conflicts around life and death brought her back to Minneapolis in 2008-2009 for a two year clinical pastoral education program as chaplain training. She then served 10 years in her little town in midcoast Maine as the hospice chaplain. Tim Burkett, then Abbott of MZMC, completed Bonnie’s dharma transmission (permission to teach independently) in 2013.
In September of 2021, she realized she was too far from her elderly family members, dear “old “ friends, and zen center. Relocating back to Twin Cities has given her the opportunity to participate in programs, retreats, classes and one-to-one mentorship at MZMC.
It has been lovely seeing and supporting family members going through transitions. She is happy to have made this very successful move, wishing all of Maine and the Atlantic Ocean could have come along.
