He and his brother helped in the rescue and reconstruction efforts following the violent earthquake that struck Messina on 28 December 1908. On 28 February 1912 the archbishop Letterio D'Arrigo Ramondini appointed him as the archdiocesan vicar general in a move that meant he had curial responsibilities to manage and which saw him work closer to the archbishop. But he still managed to go around preaching and hearing confessions despite the increased workload.