We welcome you to join us for a unique and heartfelt interfaith dialogue between Tibetan Bön teacher and monk, Geshe Sonam Gorung, visiting from Nepal, and Fr. Michael Holleran, a Catholic priest, Zen Roshi, and former Carthusian monk. 

We will explore one of the most fundamental spiritual questions: What is the purpose of spiritual practice? Through this discussion, our speakers will offer insight into how their traditions guide practitioners toward deeper transformation and realization. Where does practice lead? Why is it worthwhile and important? What are the signs of progress? How is the culmination of realization expressed in each of these traditions?

In addition to examining each tradition individually, we will also explore where they align and where they diverge, shedding light on the shared wisdom and distinct approaches that have evolved over centuries. Can different traditions inform and enrich one another? How do their practices shape the way one engages with the world? Whether you are deeply rooted in a spiritual tradition or simply curious about the nature of practice, this dialogue will provide valuable perspectives on the path to genuine spiritual growth.

About our speakers:

Geshe Sonam Gurung trained for the Geshe degree under His Holiness the 33rd Menri Trizin, the Abbot of Bon Menri Monastery and lineage holder of Yungdrung Bon. He served as His Holiness’ personal assistant and, under his guidance, translated key texts in the Bon Dzogchen canon, including works by Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche. His translations—such as Heart Drops of Kuntuzangpo, Kusum Rangshar, and The Treasury of the Expanse—offer a detailed yogic roadmap to enlightenment, blending philosophy and practice. In addition to teaching and translating, Geshe Sonam oversees the Mustang Cultural and Education Center in Jomsom. Geshe Sonam’s goal is to make these teachings available on a global basis in forms appropriate for the 21st Century.

At the request of His Holiness the 33rd Abbot of Menri, Geshe Sonam is currently leading an initiative to establish Shenten Thagye Ling Monastery and Spiritual Center near Jomsom, Nepal. This monastery will serve as a civic and spiritual hub for local villages, offering both practical resources and Bon teachings. Named by His Holiness, Shenten Thagye Ling translates to “the center on the edge of the frontier of Tibet from which the teachings of Buddha Tonpa Shenrab will spread and expand.” Geshe Sonam’s mission is to make these sacred teachings accessible to a global audience in the 21st century while ensuring their preservation and revitalization in Mustang.

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Fr. Roshi Michael K. Holleran is a Catholic priest, Zen Roshi, and a former Carthusian Monk. He was named a Roshi in the White Plum Asanga of the Zen tradition, by Roshi Robert Kennedy, SJ. He is a follower and advocate of what his friend, the internationally renowned theologian of interfaith understanding, Prof. Paul Knitter, calls "double belonging". According to this, we can be rooted in one particular religious tradition, especially by cult and upbringing, but also receive "substantial nourishment" from another tradition. 

He was educated by the Jesuits, and was a Jesuit himself for five years. After that, he spent twenty-two years in the Roman Catholic silent contemplative order of hermit monks, the Carthusians, in the US, France, and England. In 1994, he left the monastery, and has since served successively as a diocesan priest in a number of parishes in Manhattan and the Bronx. He now resides at St. Monica's parish at 79th St. and 1st. Avenue in Manhattan, where he continues to minister, especially with the French community in the neighborhood. Fr. Michael exercises the function of a parish priest, with administration of the Sacraments, and with special attention to Adult Faith Formation, spiritual direction and preaching. In addition, Fr. Michael has long been engaged in outreach to the LGBTQIA+ community.

Facilitator: 

Leo Bierman, MSAc, L.Ac, is a NYC-based interfaith minister, licensed and nationally board certified acupuncturist and Chinese medicine practitioner, and student of several traditions, including Tibetan Bön and Buddhism, and Daoist internal arts. He also teaches Daoist Nei Gong and Qi Gong.