And what kind of a Catholic Gypsy Church would it be without a memorial to the martyr Ceferino Jimenez Malla, the first Gypsy to be Beautified, the final step before sainthood.
Fr Andras already has a spot picked out for the portrait of the former horse merchant who was so respected for his faith and charity that when he would walk down the street people would holler, �stop swearing � here comes El Pele!�
Gypsies are loud! � and that�s one true stereotype that even they won�t deny, though you wouldn�t know it by the utter silence inside the Church. Fr Andras admits it wasn�t always this way. �There used to be a lot of chatter. It was like being at the market,� he says. �Sometimes I used to have to stop in the middle and say, �shhhhh, quiet, Jesus is here.��
On the pulpit he keeps their attention with a jumble of hand and facial expressions. � You need to have a good translation,� is how he explains his movements. �Words are not always enough.�
This Sunday he talks about the adulterous women brought before Christ. He asks his congregation �who amongst you is clean enough to cast the first stone?� It is so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Though it is widely known that there is usually standing room only and you have to come early to get a seat � this Sunday there are spots available. It is daylight savings and no one knew to set their clocks forward. �We desperately need a bell. If they hear a bell they will all come.�
THE END