Monsignor Julio Xavier Labayen of the Immaculate Heart of Mary was born in Talisay, Occidental Negros, Philippine Islands, on July 23, 1926. Christened Julio Lizares Labayen, he was one of eight children born to Mercedes Alunan Lizares and Julio Diaz Labayen. It was after attending elementary and secondary schools in Bacolod that Julio first brought to his parents’ attention his interest in the priesthood. Surprised at the news, his parents gave their consent, provided that he would go to college first and prove that he could do the things priests had to do.

Julio agreed. He joined the Eucharistic Crusade and took up teaching catechism to the neighborhood children. In 1945, after World War II, he entered the University of San Augustin in Iloilo where he majored in Arts and excelled in extra-curricular activities as captain of the University basketball team and staff member of the school paper. When Julio graduated in 1947 with a Pre-Med degree, his desire for the priesthood was still alive.

Through the cloistered Carmelite Nuns of Bacolod, Julio learned of the Discalced Carmelite Friars who had recently arrived in the Islands from the United States. Attracted by the Carmelite life of prayer and penance, he made arrangements with Fr. Gabriel Gates, O.C.D., to enter the order. After a year of Latin study at San Jose seminary (a seminary for aspirants to the priesthood, directed by the Jesuit Fathers of Manila), Julio, together with two other Filipino aspirants to the Carmelite Order, Vincente Ybiernas and Pablo Canonero (to become Fr. Bernard, O.C.D., and Fr. Anselm, O.C.D.), left the Islands on September 22, 1948, bound for the United States where he began his religious life in the Discalced Carmelite Novitiate, Brookline, Massachusetts.

As a Carmelite novice, Julio received his religious name – Xavier of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, O.C.D. He made his simple profession of vows in the Brookline Novitiate on November 7, 1949. Three years of studies in philosophy followed in the monastery at Holy Hill, and in 1952, he was sent to Rome to complete his studies for the priesthood. He made his solemn profession there on May 14, 1953, and was ordained a priest by the late Cardinal Piazza, O.C.D., on June 4th, 1955. Ordered by his superiors to continue his studies in Rome after ordination, Fr. Xavier graduated cum laude from the Discalced Carmelite International College with a Licentiate in Sacred Theology and summa cum laude from the Dominican College – the Angelicum – with a Licentiate in Canon Law.

On October 9, 1959 (after eleven years away from home), at the behest of Bishop Patrick Shanley, OCD, Fr. Xavier returned to the Philippines to join the Carmelite mission in Infanta, Quezon. It was then he received his first assignment as the assistant parish priest of St. Joseph's Parish in Polillo, Quezon. After this short stint, he became the parish priest of the same parish in 1960.

In this short span of time, the worsening health condition of Bishop Shanley, OCD compelled the first bishop of Infanta to return to the United States and the young Fr. Xavier, OCD, with limited  pastoral experience, was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Prelature on June 23, 1961. He was officially installed into that office on August 24 of that year.

On September 8, 1966 Monsignor Xavier Labayen, O.C.D., Apostolic Administrator of the Prelature Nullius of Infanta, Quezon Province, Philippine Islands, was consecrated Titular Bishop of Sinuara by His Emminence, Rufino Cardinal Santos, the Cardinal Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Manila, in the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Quezon City (theCapital City of the Philippines). On September 12, Bishop Labayen was formally installed in his cathedral church of St. Mark in Infanta by His Excellency, Archbishop Carlo Montini, Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to the Philippines.

Bishop Labayen was an ardent proponent of the Church of the Poor in the Philippines which was his brainchild in the Prelature of Infanta. He became its servant leader and shepherd as he launched the program Church of the Poor in the prelature in 1979. The program prioritized to serve those neglected by the society: workers, indigenous people and others who relied on no one but themselves. As a shepherd, he immersed himself with the people and established dialogue in the grassroots, a concept the laity never imagined would happen. As such he became close to the heart of the people who loved him as a father.

With the Church's regulations on mandatory retirement when bishops turned 75, Bishop Labayen, O.C.D submitted his retirement letter to the Holy See. But still he was asked to wait for his successor as the bishop prelate. On June 28, 2003, he was formally relieved of his duties and was replaced by his Carmelite confrere, Bishop Rolando Tirona, then occupying the see of Malolos. Bishop Labayen, O.C.D was 57 years a priest, 42 years as bishop and 75 years of age at his retirement. After his retirement, he occasionally still visited the Bahay-Kubo as he calls the bishop's residence, until his health stopped him from doing so. This raised criticism from people, but he explained that retirement is only to "re-tire" or to change tires, towards a renewed vigor of service. As such, the bishop was still prolific in his social advocacies even in his retirement.

Years after, he spent his last years in Antipolo City, Rizal being cared for by one of the congregations he founded.

Bishop Labayen, OCD died on April 27, 2016, at 6:52 AM. People poured from different walks of life during his wake in different locations: first in Quezon City, then to Baler, Aurora, and after to Infanta, Quezon. His remains were returned to his retirement place in Antipolo City where he was buried in a crypt under the congregation's chapel on 3 May 3, 2016. (Excerpted from OUR LADY HOLY HILL, August 1966, Fr. Kevin Culligan, O.C.D.