God was preparing Lucia before the visions took place. Father Joe notes that Lucia's mother urged her to ask God to make her a saint, and Lucia made a self-offering.
The Fatima visionaries were given a vision of hell that made a tremendous impression upon them.
Our Lady appeared to two shepherd children In the French Alps with an important message for our times.
Initially, St. Bernadette's pastor didn't believe that she was seeing the Blessed Virgin Mary appear to her; no doubt it would be a difficult thing to believe!