The widow Anne Faraud, nicknamed Fat Nanon because of her plumpness, entered the service of the Mazenod family on February 19, 1783 as a chamber maid for Mrs. de Mazenod. She followed the Mazenod family into exile to Naples and Palermo. In 1791, she accompanied her mistress for her trip to Turin, where the de Mazenod family had already preceeded her. On May 2, 1794, President de Mazenod chartered a barge which was to transport his family to Venice. At a certain moment, Nanon missed her step and fell into the water. Fortunately, one of the boatmen working on the barge succeeded in saving her. In October 1795, Mrs. de Mazenod left Venice to return to France. Nanon did not follow her mistress, but remained in the service of the de Mazenods. In November of 1797, she followed them to Naples and in January 1799 to Palermo. During the crossing from Naples to Palermo, the sea was rather rough with the result that poor Nanon buried her head in her apron to avoid seeing the danger. She remained in the service of the de Mazenods until her death which occurred on March 31, 1811. (A. Amyot to Mrs. de Mazenod, June 12, 1812)

When Eugene left for France in October of1802, she mingled her copious tears with those of the de Mazenods because she loved Eugene with all her heart. Abbé de Mazenod was attached to this faithful servant as well. This is what he wrote to his mother on October 14, 1811 when he heard of Nanon’s death: “I have received your letter dated October 6. I confess it raised my spirits. I was not precisely languishing, but that good letter came just at the right moment. I was delighted to have the news about our dear Sicilians. But how sad to hear of the death of poor Nanon! I was thinking of her just the other day, and the thought caused me some disquiet; I thought it was harsh and almost unjust that we had compelled, albeit as it were unintentionally, that unfortunate woman to live out an involuntary exile, separated from her relatives, a prey to boredom, etc. I lamented her fate; it seemed to me that I would have wished to find a way to console her. I thought about how old she was, I supposed her to be now well on in years. I was worried about her dying, fearing that it might catch her by surprise without her being sufficienctly prepared. And then your letter arrived announcing her sad end. God, when one thinks how precious is a soul, what it has cost our Saviour, the dreadful outcome that awaits it if it remains ungrateful to the end. God, I tremble; poor woman, I was very attached to her. Three hours to prepare herself to appear before God, and even then did she still have her senses? It is not likely.” (Oblate Writings I, vol. 14, no. 93, p. 208)

Jósef Pielorz, o.m.i.