In 1917, the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared several times to three children of Silva's diocese and to have entrusted them with three secrets, in connection with which there was later much confusion. On 13 October 1930, Dom José announced in a pastoral letter that he was giving official approval to the authenticity of the apparitions. He wrote In 1941, Dom José asked the only survivor of the three children, who was now a nun, to clarify the secrets, to assist with the publication of a new edition of a book about her cousin Jacinta, another of the three children, who had died in 1920. At his request, Sister Lúcia wrote a document detailing two of the secrets which was passed to higher authorities. In 1943 he asked Lucia to reveal the third secret, and she declined, on the grounds that she was "not yet convinced that God had clearly authorized her to act". In October 1943, when she was seriously ill and there were fears for her life, Dom José pressed her again, ordering her to put the third secret in writing. Lúcia obeyed, but sealed her statement into an envelope which was not to be opened until 1960 or until after her death, if earlier.