Dying Without Fear

Nihil Obstat: Very Rev. Francis de Ros, Censor Deputatus

Imprimatur: +Michael F. Burbidge, Bishop of Arlington, March 20, 2023 

By: Paul Chaloux

Catholic theologian Paul Chaloux’s follow-up to Why All People Suffer focuses on the natural and spiritual concerns encountered in dying and death. Theologically rich yet easy to read, this book is emotionally charged and will speak to the needs of your heart, whether you are facing terminal illness, caring for a dying loved one, or grieving a loss. Dr. Chaloux uses his own experiences in dealing with Parkinson’s disease and the dying and death experiences of his family members going back four generations to help make sense out of and answer the natural and theological questions most people have concerning death and dying.

The first section of the book lays out the theology of suffering and death. You will learn how they are critical to Providence, God’s great plan for the universe, and why everyone must suffer and die. You will also see how even the most horrific deaths can be used by God to bring about salvation for those who suffer those deaths and for others. 

The second section explores death and dying from the perspective of the dying, giving helpful advice on what to do with your remaining time and energy to maximize building love and growing in your relationship with God and others. Dr. Chaloux skillfully discusses both spiritual preparations and practical decisions, from healthcare choices to final wishes, providing a checklist of seven items that the dying should consider.

The third section focuses on dying and death from the perspective of a surviving relative. It explains typical causes of death, the five needs of the dying, and the role of caregivers, with particular emphasis on “tough” cases such as dementia, suicide and the loss of a spouse, a parent, a child, or another close relative.

Significantly, you will find why recalling the attributes of God will help you trust in His love for you. You will also discover:

• A review of the Four Last Things and why they make life meaningful
• Why suffering is an important part of the dying process and why all people must die
• The four tasks of suffering that bring you from sin to salvation
• How to gain the only currency that transcends Heaven and earth
• How redemptive suffering and death are gifts that can lead to mercy and joy 

Dying without Fear will enlighten your perspective about suffering and death and about the relationship between God and man, so that you will truly be able to approach the final things without fear and to assist your loved ones in attaining peace on this journey. 

About the Author:

Paul Chaloux was born in Maine in 1960 to Paul and Dolly Chaloux, the oldest of 6 children. He grew up in Northern Virginia and attended public schools. After graduating with a chemical engineering degree from the University of Virginia in 1982, Paul worked for over 30 years as an engineer, manager, and strategist for IBM in upstate New York. While there, he also served as a catechist for 15 years at St. Columba Parish in Hopewell Junction, NY. In 2015, after earning a master’s degree in religious education from Fordham University and retiring from IBM, Paul was accepted into the PhD program at the Catholic University of America to study Catechetics, with the goal of teaching future catechists. However, his plans changed dramatically when he was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson’s Disease just after moving to Washington, DC for his studies. His new neurologist, after learning that Paul was studying theology, asked him why people suffer. He had no answer since it was not his intended field of study, but the question intrigued him enough to cause him to take up the subject. Five years later, having earned his PhD in moral theology, Dr. Chaloux wrote Why We Suffer for general audiences as a follow on to his dissertation, The Grace Concealed in Suffering: Developing Virtue and Beatitude, which he defended at CUA on March 5, 2020. Dr. Chaloux currently teaches theology as an adjunct professor at the Catholic University of America and serves as a catechist at St. Agnes Parish in Arlington, Virginia. He has been married for over thirty years to his wife Sue and they have 4 adult children and 2 granddaughters.