Originally from the Philippines, Llabanes entered the Perth Redemptorist Mater Seminary in 1993 (at the same time as Joseph Pelle), and was ordained to the Presbyterate in Perth in June 2000. (Reference: http://www.redemptorismaterperth.org.au)
He has more recently spent a number of years in Finland, where " … there are only 12 Catholic priests counting the Bishop in all Finland. Last Year the first ever Catholic seminary opened here – the Redemptoris Mater Seminary of Helsinki." (From a telephone conversation quoted in a Perth Redemptorist Mater Seminary newsletter dated 18 Oct 2007)
He is also well known to the good people of Kelmscott in Perth, through whose letters he first came to the attention of the Church Mouse. (Neocats in Kelmscott – Update 2, Ongoing Neocat abuse in Western Australia),
President Arroyo greets members of the Filipino community in Helsinki, Finland after attending Mass at the St. Henry’s Cathedral yesterday. To the President’s right is Fr. Melvin Llabanes (http://www.newsflash.org/2004/02/pe/pe003988.htm)
In Finland – 2
In Finland – 1
(Both images sourced from
www.catholic.fi/fides/f2006-03.pdf)