-- Father Brian L. Flynn, pastor at St. Mary and Sacred Heart in Lynn;

-- Father Paul E. Ritt, pastor at Our Lady of the Assumption and St. Maria Goretti in Lynnfield;

-- Msgr. William P. Fay, pastor at St. Lucy and St. Monica in Methuen;

-- Father John E. Sheridan, pastor at Sacred Heart in Middleborough and Rochester and Sts. Martha and Mary in Lakeville;

-- Father John E. Sassani, pastor at Sacred Heart and Our Lady Help of Christians in Newton;

-- Father Daniel J. Riley, pastor at St. James, St. John, Immaculate Conception and St. Anne in Salem; and

-- Father Joseph M. Rossi, pastor at St. Jerome and Immaculate Conception in Weymouth.

"The whole diocese is praying for them every day, and praying for the exciting work that they are doing," Father Soper said.

On June 4, Father Soper visited parishes in the northern part of the archdiocese: Billerica, Methuen, Lynn, Lynnfield, and Beverly. He planned to visit Salem parishes the next day.

Sister Patricia Boyle, CSJ, associate director of the Office of Pastoral Planning, visited parishes mainly in the south and western areas: Weymouth, Jamaica Plain and Roxbury, Newton, and Belmont.

Father Soper said a collaborative parish in Brookline and one group of collaborative parishes covering Middleborough, Lakeville and Rochester will receive visits later in the week.

"We have very positive hopes for these pastors going forward," he said.

At the parishes visited so far the office gave each pastor an icon of St. John Vianney -- patron St. of priests or an icon of Christ -- as the Good Shepherd, and an icon of one of the 12 apostles -- including Matthias.

"In many ways we are sort of borrowing our vision for these collaboratives on the work of the 12 apostles, which is intentioned to go make disciples of all nations," Father Soper said.