Prime Minister Anthony Albanese shares a powerful message as Australian Catholics mourn the death of Pope Francis
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition leader Peter Dutton have led the outpouring of emotional tributes from Australia following the death of Pope Francis.
The Pope died on Monday, aged 88, after recently battling a serious bout of double pneumonia.
More than 5.1 million Aussies, or 20 per cent of the population, identify as Catholic, according to the 2021 Census.
The Prime Minister spent the day campaigning in Melbourne before heading St Patrick’s Cathedral on Monday night to address the nation.
Mr Albanese needed a drink of water to compose himself before beginning his emotional tribute to the 266th pontiff.
‘For Australian Catholics, he was a devoted champion and loving father,’ Mr Albanese said.
‘He was truly inspirational.’
‘The memory and example of his compassion will long endure as we mourn his death.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was emotional as he paid tribute to Pope Francis in Melbourne on Monday night
Pope Francis (pictured on March 23) died on Monday aged 88
‘We celebrate the gift of his life and presence among us and we hold on to the resonant truth of Pope Francis’ final Easter homily: ‘The light quietly shines forth even though we are in darkness. The promise of new life and a world finally set free awaits us, and a new beginning, however impossible it might seem, can take us by surprise, for Christ has triumphed over death’.
‘May God welcome Pope Francis to eternal life.’
Mr Albanese added that all flags at Parliament House will fly at half-mast on Tuesday as a sign of respect.
Mr Dutton also addressed the nation on Monday night.
‘His Holiness Pope Francis served God with the utmost devotion throughout his life,’ he said.
‘He lived frugally and simply above all else.
He was driven by Christ’s values of mercy and forgiveness.
‘He emphasised those values in his last Christmas address, saying, and I quote, ‘God’s mercy can do all things. It unties every knot. It tears down every wall of division. God’s mercy dispels hatred and the spirit of revenge with God.
‘May Pope Francis rest in peace.’
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Monsignor Stuart Hall leave St Patrick’s Cathedral after paying their respects to Pope Francis following his death
Jorge Mario Bergoglio ascended to become the Supreme Pontiff in 2013, making him the first Pope from Latin America, the first Jesuit Pope, and the first Pope from the southern hemisphere since early Christianity.
He was born on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Mario, an accountant and Regina, a stay-at-home wife.
Both were Italian immigrants, with Francis graduating as a chemical technician before choosing the path of the priesthood.
Throughout his 12-year tenure, Pope Francis was lauded for his simplicity, humility, warmth and his concern for the poor and those pushed to the edges.
His papacy has centred on themes of social justice, including calling attention to people seeking asylum, refugees and migrants, and the need to care for creation, Australian Catholic University lecturer Sandie Cornish said.
‘He’s been very much a person who values face-to-face, embodied encounter, not talking about these issues in the abstract, but remembering the faces of the people who experience these issues,’ she told AAP.
Pope Francis has revitalised Catholic teaching and presided over a ‘paradigm shift’ in his focus on the environment.
‘The freshness of the way he speaks about church teachings, even when he is reiterating the same teaching of previous Popes, has attracted people who previously weren’t inclined to listen,’ Dr Cornish said.
The Albanese described Pope Francis as a devoted champion and loving father for milions of Australian Catholics
In addition to these progressive shifts, the Pope has made structural changes to the Vatican’s leadership by appointing women to key positions and changing rules to allow lay people to head up departments.
While Pope Francis wasn’t considered to have done a perfect job in contending with sexually abusive priests’ crimes, Dr Cornish believes he will be remembered as someone who tried to address the issue.
‘Each pope is elected for a particular time,’ Dr Cornish said.
‘Francis has very much been the perfect Pope for this time, as we’re facing tipping points in the viability of the planet and his ability to speak in a very simple way to people … like an Argentinian pastor, has been really helpful.’
