PJPTG Council; the Beginnings, MMVI:

St. Luke's Pastor, Father Salvador Anonuevo and his parishioners appeared in The Beacon leading his Power Rosary after the 7:00 AM weekday mass. State Council Development member Joe Leyes, reading the article, thought Father should know that the Knights of Columbus has a particularly strong attraction to Mary and Her Rosary.

Joe contacted District Deputies Lanny White and Angelo Mele, both whose districts are in Virginia Beach, VA; with a proposal to approach Father with the idea of starting a council at St. Luke. Parishioner Kenn White joined the pair and joined them in the meeting with Father during Lent. Father was very receptive to the idea commenting that he wondered how he could have the Knights at his church. He requested that nothing be done until after Easter.

From the pulpit on Easter Sunday Father announced that there would be a recruitment drive the next Sunday. On April 3rd, 2006; Deputy Director Lenny White and Joe Leyes stood outside the Worship Space with recruitment items and handed out information and form 110s. Father Salvador was a great recruiter, he spoke with his parishioners requesting that they join the order. This continued the next week with each Mass being covered by the recruitment team.

The idea was accepted to call the council "Pope John Paul the Great." Papers were filed with Supreme and the council was granted permission to be established. The name was confirmed and the effective date was established as April 5th, 2006. Initially the first listing of members and new candidates listed 42 names; of which 28 were new members.