Teresa Toda y Juncosa was born in Riudecanyes, Tarragona (Spain) on August 19, 1826. When she was only 13 years old, her father died. Like the girls of her time, in her youth Teresa did not attend school, nor did she undertake particular studies.
A pious young woman of wealthy position, she married Antonio Guasch in 1847. This relationship lasted only three months; in fact, mistreated by her husband, she returned to her mother Magdalena’s house, where on May 28, 1848 her only daughter, Teresita, was born, whose life had been threatened in her mother's womb by her father.
On 5th of August 1848, she was granted a marriage separation by the ecclesiastical court of Tarragona. She left her hometown for Tarragona. Here she carefully took care of the education of her daughter and at the same time she prepared to found, in 1878, supported by Canon D. José Caixal, the Congregation of the Teresian Carmelite Sisters of St. Joseph by which, with her daughter, she would pursue her desire to welcome and educate poor orphan girls.
Together with her daughter Teresa Guasch and two other companions, she made her solemn profession on September 16, 1883, taking the religious name of Teresa of St Joseph. That same day she was elected the first Superior General; they wrote the first Constitutions and opened the first colleges.
She died on July 30, 1898 in Barcelona, after having spent her whole life in the service of Love.
The decree on her heroic virtues was promulgated on June 3, 2013.
