[Land of the Irish]

Question: was it really private?

The Miracle of the Sun was witnessed by 70,000 people on the hillsides of Portugal. I wouldn't call that "private".

[pascendi]

Neither would I. As for revelation, it did nothing more than attempt to remind the Faithful of their primary duty and purpose, something which was not anything new at all, but has always been the very heart and essence of the Catholic Faith itself.

It was neither private, nor the revelation of any new doctrine. It was a public warning that has been, for the most part, largely ignored.