Sex Abuse Advocate Portrayed by Stanley Tucci in Spotlight Speaks Out After Death of Pope Francis

A lawyer known for representing clergy sexual abuse victims is speaking out after the death of Pope Francis.

In a statement shared with PEOPLE on Tuesday, April 22, Mitchell Garabedian, who was portrayed by Stanley Tucci in the 2015 Oscar-winning film Spotlight, mourned the loss of the pope and underlined the need for more action to address the “sexual abuse crisis” within the Catholic Church.

“I have been representing clergy sexual abuse victims or survivors worldwide for decades,” Garabedian wrote. “The passing of Pope Francis is understandably sad, unsettling and difficult for many.”

“Although Pope Francis had good intentions when denouncing clergy sexual abuse he was met with great resistance within the Catholic Church when attempting to effectuate any meaningful change. As a result, unfortunately the clergy sexual abuse crisis continues and survivors feel forgotten,” he concluded.

The drama, which won best picture and best original screenplay at the 2016 Academy Awards, follows The Boston Globe’s Spotlight Team and its journalists’ groundbreaking 2002 investigation into the Catholic Church’s coverup of sexual abuse.

In the film, Tucci plays Garabedian, an attorney who lets his conscience be his guide, telling Mark Ruffalo’s character about the abuse occurring within the Catholic Church.

Garabedian’s statement comes just one day after Pope Francis’ death at the age of 88 on Monday, April 21. The pope died of a cerebral stroke that led to a coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse, according to the Vatican.

He was also affected by a “previous episode of acute respiratory failure in bilateral multimicrobial pneumonia, multiple bronchiectasis, arterial hypertension and type II diabetes.”

The pope had been hospitalized for 38 days due to double pneumonia earlier this year.

Pope Francis — who was the head of the Catholic Church for 12 years — made his final public appearance on Easter Sunday.

In a statement released by the Vatican following his death, Cardinal Kevin Farrell said that the pontiff’s “entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church.”

Pope Francis’ funeral will take place on Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m. local time in St. Peter’s Square in front of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.