His interrogation was serious and detailed (recalls Lucy). I liked him very much, for he spoke to me a great deal about the practice of virtue, and taught me various ways of exercising myself in it. He showed me a holy picture of St. Agnes, told me about her martyrdom and encouraged me to imitate her. His Reverence continued to come every month for an interrogation, and always ended up by giving me some good advice, which was of help to me spiritually.

… without having sought it in the slightest, Sister Lucy had the privilege of being directed and advised throughout her life as seer by an impressive series of priests whose intelligence, supernatural wisdom, spirit of discernment and often even personal sanctity were unanimously recognized. This fact undoubtedly corresponded to a design of Providence, for thus all were able to guarantee the authenticity of her apparitions or divine communications.

At Aljustrel, we recall, after the good and holy Father Cruz, there were Canon Formigao and the dean of Olival, who both equally enjoyed a great renown for sanctity (On the uncommon virtues of the dean of Olival, read Canon Galamba’s testimony in Jacinta, p. 139-140. For Canon Formigao, we have already cited the voluminous biography by Father Alonso, which concludes with the request for the opening of his process of beatification).

At Asilo de Vilar, Lucy was directed by two priests, one of whom became later on titular Bishop of Gurza, then auxiliary Bishop of Lisbon with the title of Archbishop of Cizico (Bishop Manuel Ferreira), and the other became vicar general of Porto (Msgr. Pereira Lopes). At Pontevedra and Tuy, after Don Lino Garcia, there were two wise and holy Jesuits, Fathers Aparicio and Gonçalves, who were entrusted with her soul. When they left for the missions, we find our seer in continued communications with Bishop Manuel Ferreira and with the Bishop of Tuy, of whom we will speak later. Now none of these eminent ecclesiastics who had the privilege of knowing the secrets of her soul, including Bishop da Silva or Cardinal Cerejeira, ever doubted the authenticity of the divine communications with which she was favoured. It must be said that few mystics have received so many marks of esteem and trust from the hierarchical Church.