Our Sunday Visitor has named Gretchen R. Crowe editor-in-chief of OSV News, the new Catholic news agency launching Jan. 1, 2023, to fill the void created by the closure of the U.S. bishops’ Catholic News Service.
“I am humbled and honored to have the opportunity to pioneer OSV News as we build on the foundation of the long legacy of exemplary Catholic journalism provided by Catholic News Service,” Crowe said. “As I begin to assemble a dedicated team of Catholic professionals committed to quality journalism, I look forward to working with them to share information, spread the Gospel and promote the common good.
“The creation of OSV News further expands the vision of OSV founder Archbishop John Francis Noll, who sought to serve the Catholics of the early to mid-20th century by informing them about the events of the day through a Catholic lens, while also forming them in their faith. At OSV News, that mission will continue as we strive to report the news accurately and completely, within the bounds of justice and charity, at the service of truth,” Crowe said.
“From the moment we considered creating OSV News,” OSV Publisher Scott P. Richert said, “Gretchen Crowe was the clear choice to lead this new effort. In her two decades of work in the Catholic press, Gretchen has proved that no one has a greater heart for Catholic news, nor a better understanding of the vital role that the Catholic media must play in bringing the truth to a world desperately in need of it. As one of the leaders of OSV’s Content Team, Gretchen also understands the changing landscape of all Catholic publishing and knows what the Catholic media must do to engage new generations of readers, listeners and viewers.”
Crowe began her tenure at OSV in 2013, when she was appointed by former publisher Greg Erlandson as editor of Our Sunday Visitor newspaper, OSV’s flagship publication founded in 1912 by Archbishop Noll. Crowe led the newspaper’s efforts to respond to an ever-changing media landscape with an increased emphasis on daily content on the web and responding to news as it happens. She spearheaded strategy and market research efforts that led to a redesign of the newspaper in 2018 and its website in 2019. She helped lead efforts to move Our Sunday Visitor to its current state as a content-first publication, allowing for nimble production of content across multiple channels.
During her nearly 10 years at OSV, Crowe’s position expanded with promotion to editorial director for periodicals. Under her leadership and direction, OSV launched four new publications: The Deacon magazine (a companion publication to OSV’s nearly century-old magazine, The Priest), OSV Kids magazine, SimplyCatholic.com and RadiantMagazine.com. She also oversees TeachingCatholicKids.com. In addition to growing periodicals, Crowe serves on OSV’s Publishing Committee and Book Acquisitions teams, and she assists with content creation for OSV’s parish solutions division.
Crowe currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Catholic Media Association, for which she is chair of the Education Committee. Since 2013, she has been the national media representative to the Catholic Media Association’s CNS liaison committee. She also is leading OSV’s efforts in producing “Heart of the Revival,” the weekly newsletter for the U.S. bishops’ National Eucharistic Revival.
In addition to her work at the national level, Crowe has experience in diocesan newspapers. From 2004-2013, Crowe worked for the Diocese of Arlington’s “Arlington Catholic Herald,” under the mentorship of Catholic press veterans Michael F. Flach and Ann M. Augherton. In that capacity, her work was regularly used by Catholic News Service.
Crowe has received numerous recognitions for her writing, editing and photography from the Catholic Media Association. She is the author of two books, “Why the Rosary, Why Now?” (OSV, 2017) and “Praying the Rosary with St. John Paul II” (OSV, 2019). Her third book, “Legacy of Mercy: A True Story of Murder and a Mother’s Forgiveness,” is forthcoming from OSV Books this fall.
Crowe is an alumna of the inaugural class of “The Church Up Close” program offered for members of the international media by the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross’ School of Church Communications in Rome. She holds a degree in journalism and mass communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Crowe is married to writer and editor Michael R. Heinlein, and the couple have three children. Crowe and her husband currently are in formation for the Association of Pauline Cooperators, under the direction of the Daughters of St. Paul.
