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Email a Friendthanks for posting this. I too have heard folks mention (and swear by) burying poor st. joe in the yard for a quick home sale. I’ve even seen kits in our local christian book/gift store. But I’m with you…I’d rather see prayers offered up instead of statues pushed down.
St. Joseph Upside Down
...and upside the head!
Posted by Rebecca Teti in Faith on Thursday, March 26, 2009 5:12 PM
This post requires a disclaimer.
Although I know some people who swear by it, I cannot in conscience recommend the practice of burying a St. Joseph statue upside down in order to sell a house.
Seems a little rude to me! St. Joseph is a good man and a powerful intercessor: if you need to sell or find a house, just ask him. He’ll come through because of your prayer. Don’t bury the poor man in the mud.
I have to tell you this story though, overheard last night in a buffet line. (I assure you no one was trying to overhear; the speaker was just animated…and entertaining.) In excited tones a young woman was telling her friends about how a mutual friend of theirs buried a St. Joseph statue in her yard. In a variation on the usual theme, she did this at the start of a novena to St. Joseph to find herself a husband.
When the novena ended (I think it was a 9-month rather than a 9-day prayer), having gone the entire period without so much as a date or a phone call, she gave up.
More than gave up, in fact: she dug up the statue, gave poor St. Joseph whatfor, and pitched him over the fence in frustration.
“Ow!” came an anguished cry.
Ashamed, the young lady went to apologize to her unintended victim…and that is how she met her husband.
Isn’t that delightful?
Now: before anyone rebukes me for not wanting to bury St. Joseph (and that story just might change my mind!), let me acknowledge that it is my personal scruple springing from my own devotion. You may wish to do it, and that is fine. The Church neither encourages nor discourages the practice, which seems to have begun from St. Teresa’s practice of burying St. Joseph medals to consecrate the ground of a new convent.
As with any sacramental or tradition, its power lies in our faith, not in some kind of magic. If we do it as an outward manifestation of our confidence in St. Joseph’s help—not superstitiously—it’s fine. For more on this practice and how it should be properly understood, here’s a nice little discussion provided by Catholics United for the Faith.
Feel free to share your own St. Joseph stories below. Perhaps we can start a new devotion, in which single persons throw St. Joseph over the fence to find their intendeds.
Comments
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Posted by MM on Thursday, Mar 26, 2009 6:55 PM (EDT):
I think the burying practice is very superstitious. The prayers and novenas that go with the burying is fine and good and probably God answers many of those prayers. We believe St. Joseph answered our prayers to find us our home where we have been very happy for years. But if you just buried the statue expecting to have a wish granted that would be superstition.
Posted by Marie on Thursday, Mar 26, 2009 6:57 PM (EDT):
In 2005, I too prayed the novena to St. Joseph (the 9-day one) to find a husband. I started it Mar 11 and ended Mar 19, his feast day. The next day I found out that one of my best friends, who was also someone I had dated a few years before, had broken up with his long-term girlfriend. We started dating again a few months later, and were married a few years later. His name?? Joey
In spite of the money we could make selling St. Joseph kits, we have always had a policy not to precisely because the majority of people who come looking for one are doing it out of superstition. These kits are also all made in China so you get the added bonus of supporting human rights abuses.
When shoppers come in looking for a kit, we offer them one of our pewter statues which they are much less likely to bury and encourage them to get a novena to St. Joseph holy card and to put the statue on the mantle instead.
Posted by Heidi A. on Thursday, Mar 26, 2009 8:51 PM (EDT):
Some time ago, I was a new graduate of a nursing program, and was very nervous about passing the licensure exam and finding a job. So I prayed a novena to St. Joseph the worker, passed the exam, and received my job offer…at St. Joseph’s Hospital. A couple years later, I moved to a different town, interviewed at a few different places, and again received a job offer… from a different St. Joseph’s Hospital!
More recently, we were selling our house for a cross-country move. Well, we didn’t bury the St. Joseph statue, but put it in our kitchen, and prayed fervently through the intercession of both St. Joseph and our new favorite pal - St. Jude. I prayed specifically that we receive an offer within 2 weeks. God is so good… we received 2 offers within 2 weeks! It just confirmed to my husband and me that this huge move really was God’s plan! (Thank you St. Jude!)
What wonders of God’s presence and grace among us - I love novena stories!
Posted by Mary Brazeau on Friday, Mar 27, 2009 7:22 AM (EDT):
My grandmother had several saints she loved (also said a rosary daily with her cup of black tea). After a novena she would immediately start a novena of thanksgiving - not waiting for the answer. But, if she still didn’t have an answer that particular friend went into a drawer until they were on speaking terms again!
My mother was not will ing to be quite so mean to a saint. She had a St Gerard and would move him to a wondow where he could face the house of the next friend, then daughter, about to deliver.
Posted by Jennifer on Friday, Mar 27, 2009 6:47 PM (EDT):
My husband lost his job months ago and has recently been blessed with a new job in another state. We are trying to sell our house so we can move as a family! I heard about the burying of a St. Joesph statue and am really unsure…it just sounds so superstious to me! We are praying novenas at the moment, but if times call for more desperate measures, I may just have to try it!!!
Posted by Michele on Friday, Mar 27, 2009 7:59 PM (EDT):
The important part is the praying I think - not the burying. We bought one and just placed him in our condo as we were trying to sell it. (I wasn’t going to bury him in a flower pot on the balcony!) Funny story - I did knock him off of the end table while dusting and his head broke off. But with some super glue and some extra prayers, he forgave me I think - our condo sold. (:
For those who do choose to bury, please remember your part of the deal - he intercedes to sell your house faster but you must remember to dig him up and put him in a place of honor in your new home! (:
Posted by Karnak on Sunday, Mar 29, 2009 7:19 AM (EDT):
Like several other posters I think burying poor St Joseph is abhorrent. Saying a novena makes more sense. The other practice reminds me of my mother’s one that if you always have a Infant of Prague statue in your house you never reach rock bottom in your finances but always have a little bit to pull you through. And yes I have a small infant of Prague medal in my wallet and a rather lumpy statue of the Infant of Prague in our lounge room so I suppose I never fell as a twig far from the tree. All are superstitious practices and make me wonder where the syncretism comes in between folk belief and religion.
Posted by Becky on Thursday, Apr 16, 2009 10:27 PM (EDT):
I understand St. Joseph is the patron saint of workers. Please pray for my husband to find a job- it’s been months, and in this economy, we’ve not had so much as one call back! We are afraid of LOSING our house in this case, and are definitely starting to feel desperate. I started a novena to St. Jude, and I guess I better start one to St. Joseph. Please pray for us- if we don’t get an answer soon, I may have to bury. :o)
Posted by St. Joseph Statue James on Saturday, Oct 31, 2009 9:17 AM (EDT):
Maybe if you want to sell your faster or if you want something it’s better to pray to the saints rather than burying a saint statue.
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