The Australian way of life is the envy of many outsiders because its foundations are built on Christian teachings, the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal George Pell says.

In his Easter message, Cardinal Pell called on Australians of faith and no faith to give thanks for these influences and for the work of Christian agencies and communities that "pump the waters of life into the wider society".

"We are not like ancient Roman society where up to 40 per cent were slaves, where women had almost no rights, where infanticide, especially of young girls, was common and where men and women gladiators fought one another to death as a spectator sport," he said.

"Christianity changed all this."

Cardinal Pell said modern daily life in Indonesia, China and India was different to Australia and few would claim it was better.