Jacinta and Lucia thought the "reign of Pius XI" referred to a French King.
St Vincent Ferrer, who raised more people from the dead than perhaps even Our Lord Jesus Christ, adhered to an anti-pope, because he was not very up-to-date with affairs at Rome, and apparently did not consider it a priority.
This notion that we have to "pay attention to the Vatican" came mainly from the obsessions the press generated with its daily coverage of Pius XII and his endless stream of radio addresses and allocutions, as though all the problems of the world can be solved in front of a microphone or from a podium. Trust me, if anything consequential happens, you will know. In the meantime, pray for the conversion of Popes Frantic and Benedict.