[1] Between 1951 and 1959, Araújo was also chaplain to the 3rd Military Battalion of the Minas Gerais military police, professor of canon law at the provincial seminary of Diamantina, director of religious education for the Archdiocese of Diamantina, as well as a teacher in several local schools.
[2] On 19 January 1959, Araújo was appointed an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Belo Horizonte by Pope John XXIII, with the titular see of Verinopolis, receiving episcopal consecration on 7 May of that year.
[3] He served as rector of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais from 1960 until 1981, and participated in the Second Vatican Council between 1962 and 1965.
Araújo was created a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in the consistory of 21 February 1998, and assigned the titular church of San Luigi Maria Grignion de Montfort.
[3] He retired as Archbishop of Belo Horizonte on 28 January 2004 and was succeeded by Walmor Oliveira de Azevedo.