Cardinal Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Mân, Archbishop emeritus of Thàn-Phô Hô Chí Minh (Viêt Nam), was born on March 5 1934 in Ca Mau, diocese of Cân Tho, Vietnam. He was ordained a priest on 25 May 1965.

Following ordination, he was a teacher at the Minor Seminary of Beato Quy in Cai Rang (Cân Tho). In 1975, due to the radical change of political system in South Vietnam, the Church underwent persecution and the seminaries were closed or confiscated by the State. During this period, he was made responsible for the formation of priests. In 1988, when six major seminaries in Vietnam 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 nominated Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of My Tho with the right of succession, and was ordained on 11 August.

On 1 March 1998 he was nominated Archbishop of Thàn-Phô Hô Chí Minh.

Archbishop emeritus of Thàn-Phô Hô Chí Minh, 22 March 2014.

He participated in the conclave of April 2005, which elected Pope Benedict XVI and in the conclave of March 2013, which elected Pope Francis.

Created and proclaimed Cardinal by St. John Paul II in the consistory of 21 October 2003, of theTitle of S. Giustino (St. Justin).