There has been some confusion concerning an encounter between St. John Vianney (Cure of Ars) and Maximino. The young man visited the saint when he had the vocational crises. The Cure of Ars, at that moment, misinterpreted him and believed that Maximino had denied seeing Our Lady. St. John Vianney, being obedient, submitted it to authority of the bishop and the pope, who eventually approved the apparitions. “God does not confirms with miracles a superstition, nor the Church enrich it with indulgences” (
Journal d́une Institutrice, page 117). Maximino, on his part, denied that he retracted. According to the explanation from Maximino, the Cure of Ars was hard of hearing and understood wrong, and he was only able to speak to him in the confessional. It became a confusion: Maximino said he confessed to lying on occasions, and St. John Vianney understood he was talking about the apparitions. … Years later the saint received a confirmation from God concerning the authenticity of the apparitions of La Salette. (Even though it was not necessary because of the Church’s approval.) All of this confusion, however, was all providential, for the newspapers and other periodicals printed the news. The news reached Archbishop of Lyon and Pope Pius IX, who from all this, received the secret and officially approved the apparition (
source).