‘Inspirational’: Anthony Albanese, Peter Dutton pay tribute to Pope Francis

Thousands of Australians have gathered at services across the country to mourn Pope Francis, as Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton led Australian tributes. Read their messages and share your own.

Thousands of Australians have gathered across the country to pay their respects to Pope Francis, who died on Monday aged 88.

He died of a stroke and heart failure, the Vatican confirmed.

Services have been held at Sydney’s St Mary’s Cathedral, as well as St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne and Adelaide’s St Francis Xavier Cathedral.

Many mourners have been present at these mass services, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who attended St Patrick’s Cathedral at 7am on Tuesday.

Father Don Richardson addressed mourners at St Mary’s Cathedral, reading excerpts from Pope Francis’s final message.

He declared that the church “forbids us to mourn too much at this time” and that it was his mission, like all Catholics, to proclaim “Christ has risen”.

Mr Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton have both suspended their election campaigning as a mark of respect. Governor-General Sam Mostyn is expected to represent Australia at Pope Francis’ funeral.

It comes after both political leaders paid tribute to Pope Francis, on Monday night.

Other prominent Australian figures have also paid their respects.

‘TRULY INSPIRATIONAL’: ALBANESE PAYS TRIBUTE TO POPE FRANCIS

Anthony Albanese, addressing the nation on Monday night, said Pope Francis was “close to the people of Australia”.

“For Australian Catholics, he was a devoted champion and loving father,” he said.

“He was truly inspirational.”

Mr Albanese was sombre and emotional while sharing the mournful statement, appearing to steady himself with a drink of water before beginning his remarks.

“The memory and example of his compassion will long endure as we mourn his death,” the prime minister said.

“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.”

After he read from a prepared statement, Mr Albanese, a Catholic, appeared to be overcome with emotion and offered his “sincere condolences” and acknowledged it would be a “very difficult evening” for Catholic Australians.

“I have asked the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet that all flags are from the Commonwealth Government of Australia fly at half mast tomorrow as a sign of respect,” he said.

“My sincere condolences to everyone for tonight. It will be a very difficult evening.”

‘SAD NEWS’: DUTTON’S MESSAGE ON POPE FRANCIS

Peter Dutton expressed his condolences to Australians of Catholic and Christian faith following the “sad news” of the death of Pope Francis.

The Opposition leader said his Holiness had “served God with the utmost devotion throughout his life”.

Peter Dutton pays respect to Pope Francis.

“He was the first Pope from the Jesuit order and the first Latin American Pope,” Mr Dutton 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, ‘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.”

‘POPE OF THE PEOPLE’: NSW PREMIER PAYS TRIBUTE

NSW Premier Chris Minns described Francis as “a pope of the people”.

“When Jorge Bergoglio was elected Pope, he took his papal name from St Francis of Assisi– as a model of humility, simplicity and love for the poor,” he said.

“That is how Jorge Bergoglio lived his life – and that his how Pope Francis led the Catholic Church for over a decade.

“To the end, Francis was a pope of the people.

“As an Archbishop, he would catch the bus around Buenos Aires. And as Pope, he said no to the official limousine, and instead travelled across Rome in a blue Ford Focus.

“Pope Francis understood that grace lives within every human being, whether they were born rich or poor, high or low.

“Through the strength of his example and the quiet passion of his words, he showed us the power of the great Catholic teachings.”

‘DEEP SADNESS’: MELBOURNE CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP’S MESSAGE

Melbourne Catholic Archbishop Peter A Comensoli said he had received the news of the death of Pope Francis with “deep sadness‘’.

“We unite with all the People of God in praying for the eternal rest of his soul and entrust him to the tender loving mercy of the Father.

“Pope Francis, who came from the peripheries of the world, has been a father of the poor, and a witness of joy and hope. May the Lord, he so faithfully trusted in, now welcome him into eternal life.‘’

Archbishop Comensoli said St Patrick’s Cathedral in East Melbourne would open early on Tuesday morning for prayer and remembrance.

‘WE PRAY FOR HIM’: BRISBANE ARCHBISHOP’S MESSAGE

Archbishop of Brisbane Mark Coleridge described Pope Francis and his papacy as a “gift to the church and the world”.

“We pray for him now as he so often asked us to do. With the burdens of office now behind him, may he find ultimate liberation as he comes face to face with the Risen Christ and that when he wakens into eternity, he will be not just surprised but deeply astonished by the vision of God in which the joy of the Gospel comes to its fullness,” he said.

Archbishop Coleridge said Pope Francis was a “Jesuit through and through”.

“The overarching vision that drove the pontificate was the unity of all things in God. All creation was one; all humanity was one; all in the Church were one,” he recalled.

“That sounds rather lofty, but he could communicate the vision in ways both simple and profound, with the gifts and instincts not of a professor but of a pastor and poet. Ordinary people understood him, more so outside the Church at times than inside.

“Though he took the name Francis, he was a Jesuit through and through. In true Ignatian style, he set the art of discernment at the heart of the Church, and he struck a typically Jesuit balance between centralisation and decentralisation.”

Archbishop Coleridge reflected back on 2012, as he awaited a new pope to be elected.

“I was asked to help with media commentary. To prepare, I looked through the list of cardinal electors, eliminating those I thought couldn’t be elected,” he said.

“One of those I crossed out was Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires. At 76, he was too old, I thought, and they wouldn’t elect a Jesuit.

“The election was quick, and I thought it had to be the Archbishop of Milan who had been much mentioned. So I prepared to comment on him as Pope.

“Then the announcement came that it was Cardinal Bergoglio who would be known as Pope Francis. Both he and the name were surprises.

“The surprises kept coming till the end. We held our breath when he was in the hospital, but then he rallied and returned to the Vatican. He appeared on the balcony of St Peter’s on Easter Sunday and then died early on Easter Monday when none of us were expecting it. Perhaps he saw it coming.”

The Archbishop held an 8am mass on Tuesday at St Stephen’s Cathedral to reflect and remember Pope Francis.

– With reporting from Duncan Evans and Jessica Wang

Originally published as ‘Inspirational’: Anthony Albanese, Peter Dutton pay tribute to Pope Francis