Communio is the name given to the Bishop of Geraldton’s Appeal to help the needy people in the Diocese of Geraldton, conducted annually at Christmas time as the ‘Christmas Communio Appeal’. It is also conducted annually throughout the Diocese in each school for one week and is known simply as ‘Communio Week in Schools.

The name was chosen by Bishop Justin Bianchini (1992 – 2017) when he initially set up the Appeal in 2001. But what does it mean?

We, as a Church, support needy people in other parts of Australia and the world through Catholic Mission and Caritas. Various people themselves support other countries through other organisations as well. Money collected through Communion goes to the needy people here in our own Diocese.

The word is a Latin one which means ‘Communion – union with. In other words, it says that in our Church we are linked to and connected to people all around the Diocese. Needy people are part of us and our family. In fact, all needy people are part of Jesus and therefore a part of us because Jesus said “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers and sisters, you do to me”.

Communio Week in Schools takes place in the second term of the school year in which all the schools across the Diocese participate.  This is a time when students learn more about some of the people that our Diocese supports to pray for these people and to raise funds for them. Various activities are suggested during the week to help young people understand and be involved.