Roman Catholic Cardinal. Born in Huê, Vietnam, he was the nephew of Ngo Dinh Diem, president of the former Republic of South Viêt Nam, who was assasinated in 1963. Numerous members of his family suffered martyrdom because of their faith.He studied first at the Minor Seminary of Huê, then at the Major Seminary in this same city before going to Rome. He was ordained priest on June 11, 1953, in Huê. He did pastoral work, from 1953 to 1955, then went to Rome for further studies,from 1955 to 1959. Upon his return to Vietnam, in the archdiocese of Huê, he was successively charged with the formation of priests from faculty member and rector of its seminary.He was consecrated bishop of Nha Trang, on June 4, 1967. He was promoted to titular archbishop of Vadesi and appointed coajutor of Saigon, on April 24, 1975. He was jailed by the Communist government, from 1975 to 1988 and spent 9 years in isolation. He was never tried or sentenced. Although freed on November 21, 1988, he was obligated to reside in the archbishop's house in Hânoi and impeded to return to his see, Hô-Chi-Minh-Ville (ex-Saigon). He was declared persona non grata by the government of Viêt Nam during a visit to Rome in 1991, where he remained. He became a member of the International Catholic Commission for Immigration, in Geneva, in 1992. He resigned coadjutorship, on November 24, 1994. He was appointed vice-president of the Pontifical Council Iustitia et Pax, on November 24, 1994, then its president, on June 24, 1998. He was created cardinal deacon by Pope John Paul II, on February 21, 2001. On February 27, 2001, Vietnam's Foreign Ministry eased restrictions and so he faced only routine immigration procedures when entering the country and afforded all the privileges normally given to overseas citizens, He died in Rome in 2002. He was buried in the Chapel of the Canons of St. Peter's Basilica, in Campo Verano cemetery, in Rome. Originally buried in the Chapel of the Canons of St. Peter's Basilica, inside the Campo Verano Cemetery, his remains were transferred to the Church of Santa Maria della Scala, his diaconate, on Friday, June 8, 2012.