Career
He was also one of the last living bishops to have served in South Vietnam. Born in Cái Cồn, Thiện was ordained a priest on 20 February 1932. He was appointed bishop of Vĩnh Long in November 1960, and received episcopal consecration in January 1961.
He resigned that position in 1968 and was appointed titular bishop of Hispellum the same month.
He became the oldest living Roman Catholic bishop on 6 October 2005, with the death of Bishop Ettore Cunial at age 99. Thiện died in Nice, France, on 13 May 2012, aged 106.
France"s Géry Leuliet then became the oldest living Catholic bishop.