AUGUSTE "NONC'O PELAFIGUE by Annie Hardy Calais
Submitted by Annie Hardy Calais
AUGUSTE "NONC'O" PELAFIGUE
January 10, 1888 - June 6, 1977
Auguste Pelafigue, "Nonc'O" as we called him, was my uncle. He was born in a pastoral zone in Beaucens at the foot of the Pyrenees Mountains in France. This is a region near Argelès-Gazost. He was nearly two when they immigrated to the United States. He and his family had a deep, deep rooted Catholic faith upbringing instilled in them.
Their charming village, Beaucens, was about seven miles from Lourdes where the Blessed Mother appeared to Saint Bernadette. Another French saint, John Vianney, le Curé Ars was a saint Nonc'O modeled his life through prayer, good works, mortification, all for the love of God, especially receiving the Eucharist. Nonco'O simplicity and later in life, in his daily rounds in his work, he spread devotion to the Sacred Heart.
Nonc'O lived in Arnaudville, Louisiana. He attended school at the convent located near where the Little Flower Chapel now stands. He had a great reverence for the nuns.
He read and wrote fluently in English and French. He attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, as we know it today.
In Nonc'O early life work, he was a teacher. Mornings he boarded a train in Arnaudville at the depot and taught in Port Barre. My brother Sam Hardy (circa 10 years old, born in 1911) went with him for some of his education.
Nonc'O also taught at Bayou Portage. In 1916, he was a teacher at the Coteau Rodaire Elementary School. He also taught at Little Flower School.
I continue my story of Nonc'O, Auguste Pelafigue by saying "his presence was a prayer." My first remembrance of Nonc'O took place one morning in winter before the crack of dawn. I was about four or five years old which makes it close to over 80 years ago. I walked into the warmth of the kitchen and stood near the old wood stove. Nonc'O stood near the door leading outside where the barn stood. I remember he was short (about 5 feet, 4 inches, wearing black rubber boots and bundled in an old sport coat. He smiled and I listened to the conversation among the three working on coffee and breakfast for our large family. One was my mother, Adelaide Blaisie Pelafigue Hardy and the other was Emily Pelafigue, "Tante," my aunt who lived with us. Both ladies saints in their own rights. I picture this happening at the crack of dawn.
Nonc'O stood there with the fresh milk he put down on the counter because he came from milking in our barnyard. He did this every morning and night for our family of 12, plus Mama, Papa, Tante and other cousins who stayed overnight. Mama strained the milk, then fixed Nonc'O a small pan and a meager breakfast. I watched him as he left the room and he immediately shared that meager food with his small dogs at his feet. Next, he fed the chickens--all before the crack of dawn so that he could go to Mass.
He headed home, dressed all in black, and a small black hat, and went to Mass to receive the Eucharist. This devotion had been rooted in him born so close to Lourdes.
Mornings when I went to early Mass, I sat high on someone's knee in the cab of a big truck filled with family. I saw Nonc'O as we passed him up on the road. He looked engulfed in the fog, head down as he prayed. He declined rides, he walked to receive the Eucharist every day.
Nonc'O spoke gently, delighted in talking about the Sacred Heart, the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the saints. His life was one of simplicity and daily rounds of spreading devotion to the Sacred Heart. His two-room house was filled with religious books and pictures of the Sacred Heart and saints. I noticed that when someone cursed God's name in front of him, he cringed, bowed his head and said: "Blessed be the name of God." He seemed to always be in a state of grace.
Monthly, he received leaflets of the Sacred Heart for just about everyone in Arnaudville. He sat at his table and divided these in stacks by families. Next Sunday, he set them on a table at church. He told everyone beforehand to pick up their leaflets so they could say their Morning Offering every morning to offer all they did for Christ. Each leaflet had a different monthly intention for the intentions of Our Holy Father, the Pope. However, most of the families left Mass and left the leaflets on the table. As a result, throughout the week, Nonc'O walked the country lanes "pour delivere mais leflet pour le Sacred Coeur." He crossed over in our yard all the time going towards Bayou Portage to deliver. He was bowed in prayer with his rosary in his hands. He prayed the rosary as he walked the miles he traveled with his black rosary in his hands. Feast days of saints and novenas were his conversation.
Sister Alfred (Rita Hardy, my sister and Nonc'O's niece) helped him at the beginning of the month to divide the leaflets by families when he received the mail. Sister Rita and he were a great team for prayer.
When the Feast of the Sacred Heart approached in June, the whole community went on alert. Nonc'O's program to honor the Sacred Heart needed planning, praying and participation. All the boys and girls had a short prayer, maybe two lines to say and walk across chalk lines on the stage. I had the privilege to be one close to 80 years ago. Men and women too joined in. I remember one year 12 prominent men stood on the stage and contributed to the praise of God's Son.
There were processions also. We walked the church block with banners singing and praying. My daughter Millie sang in what was probably one of the last of these devotional programs at Christmastime about 1970.
Sister Rita Hardy taught
Millie a prayer to recite as they drove to Arnaudville for a play by
Nonc'O.
From the Union of Humene Hardy and Adelaide Blaisia Pelafigue
PARENTS:
- Humene Hardy, November 22, 1881 ~ May 3, 1963
- Adelaide Blaisia Pelafigue (Nonc O's Sister), January 24, 1886 ~ February 13, 1958
- Erminie, December 4, 1904 ~ April 7, 1993
- Leon, April 20, 1906 ~ May 21, 1972
- Remi, May 31, 1907 ~ February 10, 1909
- Bruno, February 8, 1910 ~ June 29, 1962
- Sam, September 8, 1911 ~ February 14, 1964
- Florent, August 12, 1913 ~ November 2, 2003
- Antoine "Blue," September 9, 1915 ~ July 7, 1993
- Marie, April 2, 1918 ~ November 8, 2000
- Remy, October 10, 1920 ~ April 29, 1977
- Abel, March 5, 1922 ~ May 19, 2000
- Marianite Sister Rita, December 22, 1922 ~ July 21, 2011
- Annie, July 26, 1927
- Tante Emilie, February 8, 1891 ~ January 14, 1968
- Auguste "Nonc'O," January 10, 1888 ~ June 6, 1977
Emilie lived with her sister, Adelaide, and Nonc'O lived nearby in his little home. He was served all of his meals by his two sisters. You can see in the above Hardy family listing that they included them in their family.
