The Real Christian: The Story of Auguste Robert "Nonco" Pelafigue

The town of Arnaudville was a deeply Catholic area in Southern Louisiana, but the citizens would come to recognize a local layman as a saint. Auguste Robert Pelafigue was first born in Beaucens, France. He later settled in Arnaudville the year after his birth. He would become a teacher at Arnaudville’s Little Flower Catholic School later in his life. He was very active in the community, producing plays and pageants for the schoolchildren. He would also teach the schoolchildren catechism for free, even the black children, despite the presence of racial segregation. When he worked for the Apostleship of Prayer League of the Sacred Heart, he would hand out the league's leaflets to the citizens of Arnaudville. Even during rainy or cold days, he would continue to hand out the leaflets, stating that he would use the harsh environment as penance for sinners to convert and release souls from Purgatory.

Bishop Jules Benjamin Jeanmard of the Diocese of Lafayette, Louisiana granted Pelafigue a papal decree for his Christian service in the town of Arnaudville. However, Pelafigue’s life came to an end in 1977, and his body was put to rest in Mausoleum 1 of St. John Francis Regis Catholic Church. His grave became a pilgrimage site for the residents of Arnaudville to pay him respect for his Christian service among the town’s schoolchildren. In 2020, Bishop Douglas J. Deshotel opened Pelafigue’s cause for canonization.