Pope praises 'profound witness' of late Cardinal Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Mân

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Pope Leo XIV mourned Cardinal Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Mân, Archbishop emeritus of Thàn-Phô Hô Chí Minh, Viet Nam, who passed away at age 92 on 22 March, in a telegram of condolences he sent on Thursday to the current Archbishop of Ho Chi Minh City, Archbishop Joseph Nguyên Nãng.

In his message, the Pope expressed his sadness for the late Cardinal's passing, offering his "heartfelt condolences" to all the members of the local Church.

The Pope said he joined them in commending his soul to the infinite mercies of God, noting he recalls "with immense gratitude the late Cardinal’s many years of dedicated priestly and episcopal ministry to the local Churches of My Tho and Ho Chi Minh City, as well as his contributions to the wider Church in Viet Nam and to the Apostolic See." 

The Holy Father also remembered that his ministry was marked "by a profound commitment to pastoral care and social responsibility, the steadfast promotion of dialogue and ecclesial unity, and the witness of a life lived in evangelical simplicity and humility." 

Finally, Pope Leo imparted his Apostolic Blessing upon all those mourning his death "as a pledge of the consolation and peace in the Lord."

Pillar of the Church in Viet Nam

Cardinal Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Mân was born on 5 March 1934 in Ca Mau, Diocese of Cân Tho, Viet Nam, and would be ordained a priest on 25 May 1965.

According to his official Vatican biography, following ordination, he was a teacher at the Minor Seminary of Beato Quy in Cai Rang.

In 1975, due to the radical change of political system in South Viet Nam, the Church underwent persecution and the seminaries were closed or confiscated by the State.

During that period, he was made responsible for the formation of priests. In 1988, when six major seminaries in Viet Nam were again opened, he was appointed as rector of the Seminary of Santo Quy in Cai Rang, and had to face numerous difficulties, including a lack of professors. 

On 22 March 1993, he was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of My Tho with the right of succession, and was ordained on 11 August.

In March 1998, he was appointed Archbishop of Thàn-Phô Hô Chí Minh and led the Archdiocese until 2014.

Pope Saint John Paul II had created him Cardinal in the Consistory of 21 October 2003.