The Fr. Louis Trivison award is given to a Roman Catholic who exhibits outstanding leadership in advancing FutureChurch’s  Vatican  II  mission  or  vision  in  one  or  more  areas  of  teaching,  administration,  research,  publication,  advocacy,  and  pastoral  care. This year, we present the Fr. Louis Trivison Award to Marie Collins

Born in Dublin, Ireland, Marie Collins is the foremost advocate for justice for survivors of clergy sexual abuse, for the protection of children and vulnerable adults, and for accountability in the Roman Catholic Church.

A victim of clergy abuse herself, at the age of 13, she is a founding trustee of the Marie Collins Foundation and the Irish support group for abuse survivors, One in Four, as well as a founding member of Aware, a depression support group in Ireland.

In 2014, she was appointed by Pope Francis as an inaugural member, and one of two survivors, to the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. But on March 1, 2018, she resigned citing, the “reluctance of some members of the Vatican Curia to implement the recommendations of the Commission despite their approval by the pope.”

This past fall, FutureChurch and our friends in the reform movement hosted a 5-city speaking tour throughout the US featuring Marie Collins. “In the face of criminal activity on the part of too many priests and prelates, along with a culture of corrupting clericalism, Marie stands out as a modern day prophet, a voice that Catholics can trust,” said Deborah Rose-Milavec, FutureChurch co-director.  

Her willingness to stand for truth in her dealings with the Vatican is not only a source of hope and inspiration for Catholics who have had enough of cover ups and lies, but a map for how we should engage the institution in our work for reform and justice.

And so, it is our honor to present Marie Collins the 2019 Fr. Louis Trivison Award in gratitude for her tireless campaign for justice for survivors of clergy sexual abuse, for the protection of children and vulnerable adults, and for accountability in the Roman Catholic Church. The award will be presented to Marie Collins on November 7, 2019 at FutureChurch's 29th Annual Fall Event and will be followed by a special video presentation by Marie.