COLORADO SPRINGS. It’s hardly news that planning for death — or, more precisely, for what happens after it — may be the least popular to-do list item ever.

Yet consider the alternative: if a person dies without putting their wishes down on paper, they leave the funeral planning in the hands of grief-stricken family members who may or may not practice the Catholic faith. Increasingly, the Catholic Church is encouraging parents to spare their kids the anxiety of working through funeral details.

COLORADO SPRINGS. St. Gabriel Parish will offer three grief support groups starting in March: An English-language bereavement support group and a Spanish-language bereavement support group, both on Thursday evenings from 6:30-8 p.m. beginning March 13 and running for 10 weeks. Also, “When A Loved One Dies by Suicide,” a group specifically for those who’ve lost a loved one to suicide whether recently or many years ago, will run for eight weeks on Tuesday evenings from 6:30-8 p.m. beginning March 25. Advance registration requested. For more information or to register, contact Linda at lpopolano@saintgabriel.net or the St. Gabriel office at 719-528-8407.