Joseph Trần Văn Toản was born on 7 April 1955 in Tam Kỳ, Quang Nam Province, Vietnam.

He served voluntarily in parishes in Môi Khôi and Thạnh Quới in the diocese of Long Xuyên for over ten years while awaiting government authorization for his ordination to the priesthood.

[1][2][3][4] He was ordained a priest on 16 January 1992 by Bishop Jean Baptiste Bùi Tuần and served as a parish vicar in Môi Khôi until 1999.

He then went to Manila to study at De La Salle University, obtaining a doctorate in education in 2005.

[1][2][3][5] On 5 April 2014, Pope Francis appointed him auxiliary bishop of Long Xuyên and assigned him the titular see of Acalissus.