hiː wˈɜːkt ðɛɹ ʌntˈɪl wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi sˈɛvən, wˌɛn hiː wʌz tʃˈoʊzən æz bˈɪʃəp baɪ ðˈɛnpˈoʊp lˈiːoʊ ɹˌoʊmən θˈɜːtiːn ˌɔn sɛptˈɛmbɚ twˈɛnti wˈʌn, wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti fˈoːɹ, ˈæftɚ ðə dˈɛθ ʌv bˈɪʃəp ɐpˈɔnt ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti wˈʌn.
He worked there until 1887, when he was chosen as bishop by then-Pope Leo XIII on September 21, 1894, after the death of Bishop Aponte in 1891.