
 > Mary at that time appeared to a girl named Bernadette at
 > Lourdes.  She referred to herself as the Immaculate Conception.
 > Since a nine year old would have no way of knowing about the
 > doctrine, the apparition was deemed to be true and it sealed
 > the case for the doctrine.

Bernadette was 14 years old when she had her visions, in 1858,
four years after the dogma had been officially proclaimed by the
Pope.