Laura Theissen, a Catholic convert who spent 17 years as a U.S. intelligence officer traveling the world, is the author of a newly released children’s storybook, “Cuthbert: The Eagle Who Found His Wings” (Christian Faith Publishing).
The book, modeled on the life of St. Cuthbert, a seventh-century Anglo-Saxon saint, stemmed from a project to name the mascot at All Saints Catholic School in Manassas, where her son attended grade school.
“Cuthbert is the tale of a majestic American bald eagle who loves to swoop and fly above the clouds until one day, his life changes,” she said. “Through adversity, he learns the power of God’s love and grace and what it really means to soar.”
Born into a devout Christian family, Laura met her husband, Andy Theissen, while an undergraduate at the University of Missouri. The couple married in St. George Church in Hermann, Mo., Andy’s childhood parish.
Laura’s career in intelligence brought the family, including son, Lucas, to Washington and later overseas. While challenging and meaningful, her work felt inhospitable to a close relationship with God.
“I felt very proud to be able to do my part for the country and help keep people safe,” she said. “But that kind of work is hard on you mentally and hard on your family.”
Both Laura and Andy drifted away from their faith.
Upon returning to the United States, she was determined for her family to get right with God, although as a non-Catholic wife of an inactive Catholic, and as a mother of a 7-year-old who was being raised with no faith, she worried about being judged. But the pastor of the church where they went to Mass was a military chaplain and understood her completely.
The couple was making arrangements to have their son baptized just before his eighth birthday when the director of religious education asked Laura, “And what about you?”
“It hit me like a ton of bricks,” she recalled.
Laura entered the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults a week after Lucas’ baptism.
Andy agreed to be her sponsor.
“And you know, through those classes, not only did I fall in love with the Catholic Church, but Andy fell in love with it again,” she said.
She received the Sacraments of Initiation the following Easter.
The Theissens became active parishioners and enrolled their son in All Saints school. During virtual learning at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020, school administrators had a contest to give the school mascot, a bald eagle, a name.
Laura and Lucas did an online search for saints associated with eagles. They found St. Cuthbert, who was known for protecting birds, and helping to ward off plagues.
Fellow students liked the suggestion, and Cuthbert became the eagle’s new name.
One day in Lent, while reading her daily devotional, Laura started thinking about St. Cuthbert, in light of all the turmoil that was going on in the world, with children feeling sad and frightened about the pandemic and being separated from friends and loved ones.
She started writing the story of Cuthbert the Eagle.
“The message is that even in hard times, God’s light will shine through,” she said. “No matter what happens, your spirit will always soar in the love of God. Embrace his grace. Look for the helping spirit in others. There are good people out there.”
She had the whole story written in about an hour.
“There’s no explanation for it, just an inspiration from the Holy Spirit,” she said.
The Theissens moved back to Missouri last year to be closer to family. Laura hasn’t forgotten what it felt like to not have God in her life.
“I knew he was walking beside me, but not to be holding his hand was awful,” she said. “Now, I know what it’s like to walk with him hand-in-hand. It’s wonderful. You just want to shout it from the rooftops.”
Reprinted with permission of the Catholic Missourian, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Jefferson City, Mo.
Find out more
Laura Theissen will speak at All Saints Catholic School in Manassas Feb. 1 as part of Catholic Schools Week. For more information, contact Janis DeVore, director of marketing and development, at 571-516-3148 or [email protected].
