Saint Paul Lê Văn Lộc was born in 1830 in An Nhơn village, Tân Bình prefecture (later part of Saigon), into a devout family. He was adopted by the parish priest of Chợ Quán parish and sent to study at Cái Nhum Seminary.

In 1843, Bishop Dominique Lefèbvre - Ngãi sent the seminarian Lộc to study at Penang Seminary. After returning in 1850, he taught catechism to catechumens and was in charge of liturgy at Chợ Quán parish. On February 7, 1857, he was ordained a priest at Lái Thiêu by Bishop Lefèbvre - Ngãi himself. Afterwards, Father Lộc was appointed director of the Minor Seminary in Thủ Đức. Due to unstable conditions, the seminary had to be relocated to Thị Nghè.

Two years later, the Thị Nghè Seminary was temporarily dissolved. Father Lộc continued to hide in the areas around Saigon and Gia Định, clandestinely nurturing vocational seedlings for the Church.

In the summer of 1858, French warships arrived in Đà Nẵng. The mandarins and soldiers intensified their efforts to persecute the faith. While hiding in the home of a former seminarian, the priest was discovered and reported by a non-Catholic woman. Soldiers surrounded the village, searched it, and arrested Father Lộc on December 13, 1857.

They were surprised to see the "religious leader" was so young, but Father Lộc confirmed he was a priest, asked for his fellow believers to be spared, and took full responsibility upon himself. The provincial mandarin showed leniency, did not torture him, only ordered him to be put in light cangue and imprisoned to await orders.

In the spring of 1859, French forces shifted their attack towards Gia Định via the Cửa Cần Giờ passage. The mandarins immediately submitted a report requesting the king to issue an order for the beheading of the condemned prisoner Lê Văn Lộc.

On February 13, 1859, Father Paul Lê Văn Lộc was executed at the Trường Thi execution ground, at just 29 years old and having been a priest for only two full years. His life, though short, was filled with a love for offering himself in service to the Church and others.

When night fell, the faithful retrieved his body and buried him at Chợ Quán parish. Currently, the saint's relics are venerated at the Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica.
Father Paul Lê Văn Lộc was elevated to the rank of Blessed on May 2, 1909, and was canonized as a saint by His Holiness Pope John Paul II on June 19, 1988.