LEWISTON – Catholics came out by the hundreds Thursday to attend two new daily Masses being celebrated at the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.
Jeremy Barnard, one of more than 100 people who attended the 12:15 p.m. Mass, called it “a great time” for the service.
“I’m excited,” he added, noting the Mass drew “a lot of people.”
Among them were Barnard’s wife, mother-in-law and 10-week-old daughter.
Barnard said he regularly attends Mass at the basilica, and now with the noon service being offered, he intends to be there daily through Lent. It’s convenient, he explained, allowing him to worship during his workday lunch hour.
Thursday was the first day Catholics could attend a 7 a.m. Mass or a noon Mass at Saints Peter and Paul. There was already a 4:30 p.m. daily Mass at the church. Catholic leaders decided last month to halt daily Masses at Lewiston’s five parishes and consolidate them at the basilica.
The three Masses will be celebrated at Saints Peter and Paul throughout Lent. After that, two daily Masses will be celebrated there, at 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
The Rev. Michael Seavey, pastor of St. Joseph’s Church, celebrated the new noon Mass at the basilica on Thursday.
He called the turnout wonderful, adding that the number of worshippers far eclipsed the combined number who usually attend daily services at the individual churches.
The Rev. Robert Lariviere, pastor of Saints Peter and Paul, said the 7 a.m. Mass Thursday drew more than 200 worshippers, twice as many as usual, more than 200.
Church leaders decided to go with the consolidation of daily Masses at Saints Peter and Paul in an effort to help priests better schedule their time.
Until now, a single priest might be expected to celebrate two to three daily Masses, conduct a funeral or two and sometimes a wedding at each of the churches. At times, when a priest is on vacation, on retreat or otherwise unavailable, the burden on the other clerics becomes greater.
Barnard said he saw lots of new faces at the basilica on Thursday. Two of them belonged to Bert and Claudette Ouellette. They live in Lisbon Falls and usually attend Holy Trinity Church there, but said they took advantage of the noontime Mass at Saints Peter and Paul on Thursday because they had errands to run in Lewiston.
Barnard and some others said they hope the 12:15 Mass continues once Lent concludes because it’s so convenient.
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