[3] Havlík started his education at the elementary school in Holíč, where he had to walk 8 kilometers daily from his home village to attend classes.

In 1943 he enrolled at the Lazarist missionary school in Banská Bystrica, planning to study at a seminary and become a priest after graduation.

By the time he eventually graduated in 1949, the seminaries were either closed or controlled by the agents of the Communist authorities and not recognized by the Vatican.

[4] Nonetheless, even this alternative plan did not go smoothly as the authorities forcibly removed all the novices from the cloister to a reeducation camp in the Kostolná pri Dunaji village.

After the dam was finally completed in August 1950, he moved to a rented apartment in Nitra, found a laborer job while continuing to study at the underground seminary.

[3] On 29 October 1951, StB agents stormed the rented apartment and arrested Havlík and his roommates, who also studied at the underground seminary.

[4] In spite of cruel treatment, Havlík continued to serve the Church by smuggling small pieces of sacramental bread hidden in cigarette papers into the camp and distributing them to his fellow prisoners.

Havlík was found barely conscious leaning against a rubbish bin by Dr. Barát, a gynecologist who was taking out the trash.

With the consent of the Pope Benedict XVI, Havlík's death was considered martyrdom although he did not die directly of the torture.

Halík was beatified on Saturday, 31 August at Šaštín-Stráže by the papal legate Marcello Semeraro, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.

[10][11] Halík's relics are displayed in the Church of Saint Vincent de Paul in the Ružinov borough of Bratislava.