By Scott Taylor,Staff Writer

LEWISTON – Change may be inevitable, but it won’t stand between Anita Couture and the daily rosary.

For 23 years, she has led prayers of the rosary at Holy Cross Church. She performs the ritual at 6:30 a.m. every day, then prepares the altar, lighting candles and setting the lectern for the 7 a.m. Mass.

It’s a routine that must change, according to Maine’s Catholic diocese. Daily Masses at four Lewiston parishes will end on Ash Wednesday, which is March 1 this year. All daily Masses will take place at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.

Couture said she understands why.

“It’s the lack of priests,” she said. “They just don’t have enough to cover all the Masses.”

And she accepts it as the will of God.

“But when I first found out, I cried,” she said. “I don’t think I slept at all last night, thinking about it.”

The Rev. Daniel Greenleaf, pastor at Holy Cross, said the change should make it easier for early morning worshipers. Only two of Lewiston’s five Roman Catholic churches offer morning Mass every day – Holy Cross on Lisbon Street and Holy Family on Sabattus Street.

Saint Joseph’s, on Main Street, has a 7:15 a.m. Mass on Monday and Friday. Saint Patrick’s on Walnut Street has 7 a.m. services on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

“We have people driving back and forth to different churches on different days at different times if they want to go to Mass every morning,” Greenleaf said. “We hope this will make it much less confusing for everyone. It will always be in one place, at the same time.”

Greenleaf expects the same group of faithful will continue their morning habit. Tuesday’s service at Holy Cross drew about 50 worshipers from the Holy Cross, St. Joseph and St. Patrick parishes, and many said they would move to the basilica.

“I come every morning,” said Pauline Pomerleau. “I’ll still go to the basilica because it’s important. But, if it snows, I might not.”

Nothing will stop Couture’s daily devotions, however. She’ll move her routine to the basilica, where she will share responsibility for the daily altar with other parishes. She’ll continue the daily rosary.

“It will be strange, though, with so many other people involved,” she said.

It won’t be as simple, she said. Her house is within easy walking distance of the church. She has little problem getting there in time to open it each morning. She’s worried about having to make a daily drive, even if it’s only five minutes from her house to the basilica.

“It’s a different neighborhood, and I’m not as used to it,” she said. “But I’ll do it, for Jesus. It’s his will.”