Karen Franz

General Manager/Editor

Karen.Franz@CatholicCourier.com

Karen Franz has been editor of the Catholic Courier (formerly Courier-Journal) since 1985 and general manager of its parent, the Rochester Catholic Press Association, Inc., since 1995. She previously was features editor and then copy chief of the former Wolfe Publications papers.

She holds a marketing MBA from Rochester Institute of Technology and a dually conferred BA in newspaper journalism and political science from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

In 1995, Karen was one of four Catholic press executives to conduct a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops-sponsored symposium for emerging Catholic publications in Lithuania, Poland and Slovakia. She was elected to the board of the Catholic Press Association (now Catholic Media Association) the same year and served as its treasurer, vice president and president between 1996 and 2002. Karen chaired the Catholic press liaison committee to the former Catholic News Service from 2002-2012 and continues to serve on the association’s finance committee.

The CPA’s board and executive director honored Karen with a special citation when she stepped down as association president in 2002. And in 2009, the CPA/CMA honored her with its St. Francis de Sales Award, “the highest award the Catholic Media Association presents to an individual for his or her ‘outstanding contributions to Catholic journalism.’”

Although she is proudest of the accomplishments of the extremely talented and hard-working Courier staff, Karen won several national and regional reporting awards before shifting primarily into management. In 2023, she again was recognized with first-place honors for a package of articles on the Diocese of Rochester’s bankruptcy case.

Music, movies, theatre and travel are top interests for Karen and family.

Karen's Latest Articles

• Support faithful Catholic news in the Diocese of Rochester
  February 2, 2026

• Judge confirms bankruptcy plan for Rochester Diocese
  September 5, 2025

• What happens after reorganization plan is confirmed?
  September 2, 2025

• $246-million bankruptcy case expected to end Sept. 5
  July 30, 2025

• Voting again underway in diocesan bankruptcy case
  March 28, 2025

• This Catholic Press Month, show your support for news that makes a difference
  January 30, 2025

• Bankruptcy judge dismisses insurer’s claim
  October 10, 2024

• Court sets vote in bankruptcy case
  April 17, 2024

• Pledge your support for local Catholic media
  February 5, 2024

• Diocese, creditors file joint reorganization plan
  April 3, 2023