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 Basilica of Our Lady of Victory has quite the historical and spiritual connection to the revelation of the Miraculous Medal given to St. Catherine Laboure.
Jesus said, "Whoever wishes to come after Me, must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24).
The pastor in Lourdes didn't believe that St. Bernadette was receiving apparitions of Our Lady. To prove that it really was Our Lady, St. Bernadette was told to ask Our Lady one thing.