Mary Teresa was one of four children born to Michael Wartha and Johanna Tschida on March 9, 1901. Her parents had emigrated from Austria when they were but teenagers. Little is known of her background before entering the monastery. In the midst the probable hardships of life during those years, there was also a real experience of joy and zest for life. These qualities were exemplified in Mary Teresa. After completing a Catholic grade school education she worked in a sewing factory before entering the monastery at Clyde on April 22, 1924.

"This is how I received my vocation. One day in 1923 as I knelt before a statue of the Sacred Heart, praying my night prayer, I heard an interior voice saying "Mary, you ought to be a nun,” three times. I never thought of entering a convent before that, but after that I prayed to know what order I should enter. One day someone gave me a November copy of Tabernacle and Purgatory and after I read the article on vocations, I decided at once that that was where I would like to be. So I wrote Mother M. Dolorosa and she accepted me. God bless her. It was that simple for a woman of faith!”

She was professed on Aug. 21, 1926, receiving the name of Sr. M. Candida. Final monastic profession took place on Aug. 22, 1931. In the 60's when the Sisters were given the option to return to their Baptismal names, Sister again claimed "Teresa.”

Sister spent some years at our monastery in San Diego. During her active years her work was mainly in the Correspondence and Altar Bread depts. Her failing health necessitated her transfer to St. Louis, to St. Benedict's Health Care Center, so she bravely said 'good bye' to the ocean and her sisters in California. 

She was up and walking the day before her death, and was a  delight to the nurses. Following a brain hemorrhage, she died very peacefully on  June 18th, 1989, with sisters praying at her bedside.