The archdiocese of Boston moved a step closer this week to realigning its parishes in Dorchester with the appointment of new pastors that will be made public sometime after the holidays. Last September, Cardinal Seán O’Malley accepted the resignations of the four pastors who oversee eight parishes in Dorchester and Mattapan, with an effective date “pending the appointment of a pastor for each parish in the new collaboratives.”

The local pastors who resigned were Rt. Rev Jack Ahern, pastor of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish, Holy Family and St. Peter parishes; Rev. Vincent Daily, pastor of St. Gregory parish; Rev. Daniel Finn, pastor of St. Ambrose and St. Mark parishes; and Rev. William Joy, pastor of St. Angela Merici, Mattapan and St. Matthew parishes.

Under a long-range plan dubbed the “Phase III collaborative,” the archdiocese is regrouping the eight churches into three clusters, and each will be assigned a new pastor.