MANILA, April 27, 2016–Bishop Julio Xavier Labayen, OCD, passed to his eternal reward at 6:52 AM Wednesday.
Born in July 23, 1926 in Talisay, Negros Occidental, Bishop Labayen was ordained a priest of the Order of Discalced Carmelites on July 4, 1955. In July 26, 1966, he was appointed Prelate of the Prelature of Infanta.
He was the first National Director of the National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA) of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines that remained under his watch from 1966 to 1982. In 1966 he published IMPACT, a magazine that braved the suppressed media during martial law. Bishop Labayen is best remembered for His pro-active witness and promotion of the social teachings of the Church. (CBCPNews)