Bonnie Goedken Ready poses with her four sons.
By Barb Arland-Fye
Editor
Robert Goedken called his mother Bonnie Goedken Ready after the election of Pope Leo XIV and told her, “You’re probably not going to remember, but my confirmation name is Leo.” Sure enough, after checking her family Bible, Bonnie, who resides at Oaknoll in Iowa City, had proof.
His call, followed by texts from her other three sons about their papal name connections, inspired a delightful short column she wrote for the Oaknoll Community Connector newsletter. She clipped out the column and mailed it addressed to the Editor of The Catholic Messenger, with a short note explaining that other residents encouraged her to write a column, which her son Tom Goedken edited:
“When the Reverend Robert Prevost, a U.S. citizen and Chicago native, became Pope Leo XIV, I received several texts from my sons on popes’ names — and all of them trying to ‘one up’ their siblings.
My son Bob claims he takes the prize with his first name — Robert — and adds that his confirmation name of ‘Leo’ seals the deal.
Son Bill points out that longevity matters and his middle name — Francis — was used recently by Pope Francis for his 12 years in the papacy.
John, my youngest son, says he tops them all. John has always gone by his first and middle names combined — John Paul — and claims Popes John Paul I and John Paul II with their papal terms of 33 days and 26 years makes him the “winner” of this odd game by virtue of these two unique bookends of papacy length.
Then there is my son Tom (Thomas), who just says he doubts all their claims — as any good ‘doubting Thomas’ will do.
If only Pope Leo XIV was a Cubs fan, now that would be an interesting story!”
Bonnie, 92, a retired nurse, recalled a poignant memory involving her son, John Paul, a sixth-grader when Pope John Paul II was elected in October 1978. Bonnie’s husband Vernon was dying at the time but their young son raced to his dad’s room to share news of the papal name connection, she said. “He ran down the hall and woke up his dad (we didn’t like to do that) and said, ‘Guess what, the pope took my name!’ We still share that story,” Bonnie said.
The following year, on Oct. 4, 1979, Bonnie took John Paul to see Pope John Paul II during his historic visit to Living History Farms in Urbandale, Iowa. Her son held up a sign that read, “I’m John Paul, too.”
Bonnie, who has written letters to the editor of The Catholic Messenger over the years, has another diocesan connection. She and Vern, who were married for 24-½ years before his death from cancer in 1978, taught natural family planning classes in the diocese. Later, she and her second husband, Jerry Ready, who died in 2015, educated couples in the diocese about the annulment process, she said.
Her lighthearted column about the papal “name game” provided me with a dose of good humor, which I think all of us need on this pilgrim journey!
(Contact Editor Barb Arland-Fye at arland-fye@davenportdiocese.org)
