Australian Catholics mourning death of Pope Francis

There are 5.1 million people in Australia who identify as Catholic, according to the 2021 Census, equating to about 20 per cent of the total population.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton expressed his condolences to Catholic Australians on the death of the 266th pontiff."He lived frugally and simply. Above all else, he was driven by Christ's values of mercy and forgiveness," Mr Dutton said.

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.

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."