St. Joseph Homeseller?

[Everyman]

Yesterday, my wife and I went into a Catholic bookstore and she found and was disgusted with statues they were selling. They were of St. Joseph and claimed to help you sell your house. Says he’s the patron saint of house selling since he moved around so much.

Well, this freaked my wife out. We are both looking into Catholicism currently, but this kind of thing makes her worry that Catholics are just a bunch of mumbo-jumbo superstitious nutcases.

So what say you about this? Is it an orthodox practice or just someone trying to make a buck by using the Church?

-Everyman

 

[DavidFilmer]

Everyman:

So what say you about this? Is it an orthodox practice or just someone trying to make a buck by using the Church?

It is superstitious nonsense. The Church categorically condemns all forms of superstition, so this would fall into that category (I don’t believe the Church has ever addressed this particular thing specifically, but it would be covered by the blanket condemnation of this sort of thing). Any Catholic who realized this was superstition (and how could you not?) would be guilty of sinful conduct by taking part in it. It is a disgrace that some Catholic bookstores sell these statues packaged for this purpose.

 

[beckyann2597]

Don’t be concerned. I look at it as a bit of fun and diversion. Selling a home can be very stressful and you may feel like you need a little divine help sometimes. St. Joseph was the adopted father of our Lord and the Patron saint of Carpenters. Maybe the Carpentry part is where this comes from. We can pray for Joseph to pray for us to God and ask St. Joseph …“Okay, you knew what you were doing, have any insight?” I had one friend who was having trouble selling her house and she got like 3 as gifts. She laughed but didn’t think that was the solution. Lowering the price was.
There is another prayer to St. Anthony, Patron of the lost. When you lose things you say “Tony Tony turn around! Somethings lost that must be found.” Then you turn around 3 times. Does this solve things? No, but because it gives you something to do-it does keep you from freaking out and perhaps helps you get into a different frame of mind.
Catholics don’t believe in a bunch of mumbo jumbo. I was just thinking about a scenario where a non Christian might walk into a Christian bookstore and see Veggie Tales on the shelf and wonder what the heck Christians are thinking? Talking cucumbers and tomatoes?!

 

[dal11]

Is the church that Jesus founded on earth the one and only Catholic Church, or not? That’s the question you and your wife need to answer before you become Catholic. Dosen’t matter what other Catholics do. It matters what is true.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Everyman:

Yesterday, my wife and I went into a Catholic bookstore and she found and was disgusted with statues they were selling. They were of St. Joseph and claimed to help you sell your house. Says he’s the patron saint of house selling since he moved around so much.

Well, this freaked my wife out. We are both looking into Catholicism currently, but this kind of thing makes her worry that Catholics are just a bunch of mumbo-jumbo superstitious nutcases.

So what say you about this? Is it an orthodox practice or just someone trying to make a buck by using the Church?

-Everyman

He is not the patron of “house selling”! I really have never found out where the idea of burying a statue of him orignated? He is however the patron of of the Christian Family. He provided for and protected Mary and Jesus. So praying for his intercession with Christ for providing shelter for your family would not be out of line. It would be better if the statue were placed in the house, not in the ground.

 

[David_Puthoff]

dal11:

Is the church that Jesus founded on earth the one and only Catholic Church, or not? That’s the question you and your wife need to answer before you become Catholic. Dosen’t matter what other Catholics do. It matters what is true.

Well said.

Everyman:

Yesterday, my wife and I went into a Catholic bookstore and she found and was disgusted with statues they were selling. They were of St. Joseph and claimed to help you sell your house. Says he’s the patron saint of house selling since he moved around so much.

There are many rooms in our Fathers house; some of them may be filled with the nutty Catholics. Now that being said, I do not know when the tradition started with the St. Joseph statue but I have heard of many families burying a statue in the yard and having success at selling a home. Is it common practice, dunno. Did it help sell the house quicker, dunno. Have I ever done it, no. It would be a similar question about having a Blessed Mother statue in the front yard, is it required to have one to be Catholic, no. Is it a teaching of the Church handed down from one generation to another through the catechism, no. Did my grandfather have one, yes. Do I have one, yes. Did someone make a profit from it, I hope so, the business that makes them has to pay the bills and keep the doors open.

Everyman:

Well, this freaked my wife out. We are both looking into Catholicism currently, but this kind of thing makes her worry that Catholics are just a bunch of mumbo-jumbo superstitious nutcases.

The belief system as outlined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church is a great way to spend ones life. I am a cradle Catholic, I have not always practiced my faith, I, like many have fallen away from the Church and have returned. The worst and most empty times of my life were when I was away and I could not imagine my life being better than it is at this moment. I feel God’s presence and love every moment of the day with the blessings he has bestowed upon me and my family. We still have small paychecks, big bills, illnesses and death. But knowing that there is an afterlife and an “eternal reward” all of life’s little problems pale in comparison to the infinite love God has for his children who merely stop running from him and turn and embrace him. The one thing I truly love about the Catholic Church and Catechism is the billions of man hours spent in the making of the Catechism. Imagine how many discussions and debates have taken place over each paragraph. How many men with a much greater understanding than I have discussed the issues and came to the conclusions written in the Catechism. When I have questions about an issue I can trust the Catechism to have a clear and concise answer to the problem. If the Catechism is cloudy you can ask a fellow Catholic, Priest or Catholic Source Book. It is surprising to me, how rarely I turn to the Catechism and do not find the answer. I hope your quest is a productive one.
Like anything, if you are looking for faults you will find them, please do not let this sway your faith.
If you would like to discuss in private email me at david@puthoff.us

 Peace,

David