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dshix
Guest
I once saw someone asking, " I have a property with X acres of space; how many statues do I need to bury and with what spacing in the property to attain optimum property selling chances?"
Bury a Statue of St. Joseph for the Intention of Selling a House?
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djames99
Guest
So the statue is gone also for someone who would have had something to look at in honor of that individual the statue represents. What does that tell us? Who does this act serve to have such a sacramental out of view?
IMHO: I think the initial suggestion to do with the statue something it was not intended is
from the devil. If it is made of plaster, all the more quickly it would be dissolved in the soil.
IMHO: I think the initial suggestion to do with the statue something it was not intended is
from the devil. If it is made of plaster, all the more quickly it would be dissolved in the soil.
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Saints_Alive
Guest
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maryjk
Guest
Oh, the ones that are sold for this purpose? They are plastic. Not something that would have a “place of honor” in someone’s house.
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TimothyH
Guest
I almost posted exactly this earlier today but changed my mind.
I’m sorry that I started this thread and wish I could take it back.
-Tim-
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dshix
Guest
Why do you think you could take it back? This has been a perfectly normal thread.
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SecretaryMonday
Guest
Yes it has.
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dshix
Guest
Yes it has.
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Diana_Catherine
Guest
I believe the reason for the burying of the statue is it is a reminder to do what God, through the apostle Paul, told us to do, “pray constantly.” I am sure you can bury the statue any where or any way you like or not bury him, just set him somewhere.
The point is the constant prayer.
That is the reason for the medals and scapulas and crucifixes and other sacramentals that Catholics wear or use. Not because they are lucky or magical or superstitious but they are reminders of our connection with heaven and to aid us to be in constant prayer.
IMHO if we don’t know why we as Catholics do the things we do, then it does look odd or superstitious and humbly I have not always been able to answer but this forum has helped.
The point is the constant prayer.
That is the reason for the medals and scapulas and crucifixes and other sacramentals that Catholics wear or use. Not because they are lucky or magical or superstitious but they are reminders of our connection with heaven and to aid us to be in constant prayer.
IMHO if we don’t know why we as Catholics do the things we do, then it does look odd or superstitious and humbly I have not always been able to answer but this forum has helped.
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maryjk
Guest
See, I have no problem with someone setting up a home altar with a statue of St Joseph. And to light a candle and pray everyday for the sale of your home. In fact, I know someone that did just that. She set up a small table, with a statue and a candle. She prayed every day. To me, that’s great.
The problem is, if you have problems remembering to pray, how the heck is a statue, buried, upside down, in your yard, going to help you remember? It will be an “out of sight, out of mind” situation.
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CradleJourney
Guest
It’s the fact that it’s something very unusual that can help you remember - at least it did for us. Honestly I still don’t see what the big deal is about this.
The statue was never blessed so it’s not a sacramental. It was buried - not tossed in the trash or used for target practice - what’s so awful about burial?
From an online source on “How to Dispose of Religious Items”:
“The proper disposal of votive candles and other devotionals, if they have been blessed, is to burn or to bury them, …”
We (and I’m sure many others - though, unfortunately not all) know that it’s not the statue but the prayer that’s important.
If it’s not something someone’s comfortable with then shouldn’t do it, that’s all.
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Diana_Catherine
Guest
I understand what you are saying but what about the candle at the church? When you light that it is a symbol of continual prayer and once lit we walk away and no longer see it. Out of sight, out of mind. Maybe we remember because of the importance of the matter and then by faith leave it in God’s hands.
Also. I like your husbands quote.
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maryjk
Guest
For you, maybe.
For most others? They are going onto Catholic stores, asking for “that little statue you bury to sell your house.”
Sorry most don’t have a clue. Prayers? Remembering that it is there? Heck, finding the statue when the house does sell? None of those are important.
And when the house does sell? They are out of there, telling everyone else to do the same thing they did. I mean, it sold their house for them, right?
It is very interesting how often we heard about causing “scandal” but something like this that has caused so many to bury a statue without having clue why? Well, that is different. “Nothing to see here.” “What is all of the fuss about?” “Don’t bother me about it,** I** do it right.”
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dconklin
Guest
Our Bishop Emeritus was a dear friend of Mother Theresa - as well as her confessor. He related a story about how she wanted to buy a particular building for her ministry and and the owner would not sell. One night she went around the building and placed Miraculous Medals in cracks around the foundation and walls. Within days the building was hers.
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dshix
Guest
And did Mother Theresa attribute the grace of attaining the building to the power of the Miraculous medals, or to the providence and generosity of God?
The reason this whole concept can be a problem is if the people doing this believe that the statue, medal, or other object is a “lucky charm” which will help them get something they want. This is superstition. I daresay that what Mother Theresa did was quite different; she trusted in God’s providence, prayed for Mary’s intercession, and left the rest to God, asking for this building to carry on her good work. She did not attribute the success to the power of the medals; by no means.
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TimothyH
Guest
Yes, I understand that it is perfectly normal for people to think that they can read other people’s intention, gauge their love of God and devotion to the saints, read their heart. It is perfectly normal for people with this amazing abilility to determine when others are committiung sacrilege and engaging in superstition and idol worship.
Perfectly normal here, yesssss…
-Tim-
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dshix
Guest
Desist in being sarcastic, and please answer the question of why you do not understand practices like these are superstition, even though there is no evidence of Church teaching or private revelation in their favor.
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gracepoole
Guest
I’m not an apologist so I’m not sure my opinion really has any merit here… But we did bury a St. Joseph statue when selling our first house. Here’s what I find lacking in descriptions of this action by many others (not here, but by friends and family members): 1) Prayer. He’s not a good luck charm but rather an intercessor. Intercessory prayer requires prayer. 2) The statue should be dug up after the sale and put in a place of prominence in one’s home. We should honor the saints who assist us. Superstition? Aren’t brown scapulars superstitious then?
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MorEphrem
Guest
The issue, grace, is that what you have stated is a normative procedure. However, as one can imagine, the vast majority of people who actually bury a statue of St. Joseph don’t do it with the intention of praying or unburying it.
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dshix
Guest
It is not superstitious to pray for St. Joseph’s intercession to sell a house. But bury a state of him upside down?? That is completely… random and illogical. It does not have anything to do with intercession. If you want his intercession and want to use a statue, put it in your home and say your prayers near it or something.
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=7126089
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