Sister Socorro Teofilo, OP known in her early years as Lilia—was born on July 23, 1936, in Numancia, Aklan, Philippines. Raised by her parents, Isidro Teofilo Arboleda and Justa Cordova Kimpo, she grew up in a large blended family where faith was not simply taught but lived daily. In that home, she learned resilience, generosity, and a quiet attentiveness to God’s presence seeds that would later blossom into a lifelong vocation.

​Her early education at Madyaas Institute laid a strong foundation, but it was during her years at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, where she pursued a Bachelor in Chemistry, that her vocation began to take clearer shape. As an active member of the UP Student Catholic Action (UPSCA), she encountered Christ in a deeper and more personal way. Retreats, community life, and apostolic engagement stirred in her heart a desire that would not fade—the call to give her whole life to God.
With courage and trust, she responded. On June 4, 1961, she entered the Religious Missionaries of St. Dominic. Her First Profession followed on January 4, 1963, and her Perpetual Profession in 1967 sealed her lifelong commitment. During her formation, she pursued a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education at the University of Santo Tomas, preparing herself for a mission she would embrace with unwavering dedication: education.

In 1971, her missionary journey led her far from home—to Chile. For 33 years, she served the Church there with a generous heart, teaching in schools, engaging in parish ministry, forming catechists, and accompanying families in their daily struggles and hopes. Gifted in music, she also served as a liturgist and organist, helping communities pray more deeply through song. Those years in Chile shaped her profoundly, expanding her heart across cultures and strengthening her identity as a missionary disciple.

Yet her mission did not end there. After decades of service in South America, she was sent to Taiwan, where she continues to give her life in the field of education. At Dominican International School Taipei she was the vice principal for 18 years and at DIS Kaohsiung too—she is an active and guiding presence in the life of the school. Drawing from her rich missionary experience, she also reached out to Spanish-speaking communities in Taipei, offering pastoral care and companionship to those far from their homeland.

​Today, Sister Socorro remains vibrantly present in the Community of the Assumption in Kaohsiung. Beyond her leadership role at DISK, she continues to serve faithfully as liturgist and organist, nurturing the prayer life of both the sisters and the school community. Her deep devotion to the Blessed Sacrament anchors her life; many still find her quietly in prayer, spending long hours in Eucharistic adoration.

She is known among teachers and students not only for her wisdom but for her warmth—her gentle smile, her listening heart, and her motherly care. It is no surprise that she is affectionately called “the heart of the school.” Her presence brings peace, her words encourage, and her life itself speaks of fidelity.

From the shores of the Philippines to the communities of Chile, and now in Taiwan, Sister Socorro’s vocation continues to unfold—alive, active, and deeply fruitful. Hers is a story not only of where she has been, but of who she continues to be: a woman consecrated in truth, joyful in service, and steadfast in love.

Her life reminds us that a vocation is not a moment in the past, but a living “yes” renewed each day—quietly, faithfully, and with a heart always open to God and His people.

愛中奉獻的一生：狄蓉修女（道明傳教修女會）的聖召故事

狄蓉修女（Sr. Socorro Teofilo, OP），早年名叫Lilia，於1936年7月23日出生於菲律賓阿克蘭省努曼西亞。她的父母是Isidro Teofilo Arboleda與Justa Cordova Kimpo。她在一個融合而充滿愛的大家庭中成長，從小便學會了信仰、堅韌與關愛他人。這些在日常生活中扎根的價值，成為她日後回應天主召叫的重要基礎。

她在阿克蘭的Madyaas Institute完成中小學教育，之後進入菲律賓大學迪里曼校區攻讀化學學士。在大學期間，她積極參與「大學天主教學生行動」（UPSCA），透過退省與團體活動，與基督建立了更深的關係。就在這段時光中，她的心被一個清晰而堅定的渴望所觸動——將整個生命奉獻給天主。
懷著信德與勇氣，她於1961年6月4日加入道明傳教修女會，並於1963年1月4日發初願，1967年發永願，將一生完全奉獻於主。在培育期間，她於聖多瑪斯大學攻讀初等教育學士，為未來投入教育使徒工作作好準備。

1971年，她被派遣至遙遠的智利，展開她長達33年的傳教使命。在那裡，她服務於學校教育、堂區牧靈、教理講授，並陪伴無數家庭走過人生的喜樂與挑戰。她也以對音樂的熱愛，擔任禮儀服務與風琴師，帶領信友在祈禱中更親近天主。這段在南美洲的歲月，使她的心更加開闊，也深化了她作為傳教士的身份與使命感。

完成在智利的長期使命後，她繼續被派遣到台灣，投入教育服務。她在道明國際學校（DISK，高雄）擔任教師及副校長，至今仍積極參與學校的發展與學生的培育。憑藉她在智利的經驗，她也關懷台北的西班牙語教友團體，提供牧靈陪伴與支持。

目前，狄蓉修女服務於台灣高雄聖母升天修院團體，並擔任DISK副校長。她同時也是團體與學校的禮儀負責與風琴師，默默地滋養整個團體的祈禱生活。她對聖體聖事有著深厚的敬禮，經常長時間在聖體前祈禱，將一切交託於主。

在師生與同工的眼中，她不僅是一位領導者，更是一位充滿母愛的人。她的溫柔、關懷與親切，使人感到被接納與鼓舞。因此，她常被親切地稱為「學校的心臟」，無論是在台北或高雄的道明教育團體中，皆深受愛戴。
從菲律賓到智利，再到台灣，狄蓉修女的聖召旅程仍在延續——活躍、喜樂且結出豐盛的果實。她的生命見證提醒我們：聖召不是過去的一個決定，而是每天不斷更新的「是」，在祈禱中，在服務中，在對天主與他人的愛中，持續活出。

​她的一生，正是一首持續吟唱的讚歌——忠信、喜樂，並滿懷愛的奉獻。