Meanwhile, the Marianists were invited by a committee headed by Father Joseph Kealy to establish a boys' college in the southern Melbourne suburb of Frankston for years 7 to 12 (then forms 1 to 6). Marianist College opened in February 1973 with 166 boys and a staff of six under the direction of Brother Don Neff, SM. After preliminary discussions in 1976, it was announced in 1977 that Marianist College Frankston would merge with the adjacent Stella Maris College establishing a new regional coeducational college. After consultation with the Archbishop of Melbourne, parents, and students, the College Board determined that "John Paul College" would be the official name of the school. "John Paul College" was chosen to express the changes in the Catholic Church as a result of the Second Vatican Council (1962 –1965) under the leadership of popes John XXIII and Paul VI.