Are you one of many who are trying to sell a home, and having a hard time? It might be time to turn to St. Joseph, according to an article in the New York Times.
Now, I'm a born and raised Catholic, and I knew that St. Joseph was the patron saint of carpenters, but real estate? Nevertheless, many people swear by St. Joseph, and not just Catholics. In another article, a Jewish real estate agent, Ferne Sherkin-Langer, says that she used a St. Joseph statue to help sell homes and it worked.
All across the US, people seem to be rediscovering the blessing of St. Joseph as they move that property.
The ritual may stem from an order of European nuns who apparently buried a St. Joseph medal in the ground and prayed for help to obtain a convent. Another possible origin is with German carpenters who put St. Joseph statues in the foundations of homes. Another possible beginning lies with Brother Andre Bessett, who started Montreal's St. Joseph Oratory. He may have buried medals of the saint on a property that he wanted. While the owners had previously refused all offers of purchase, they suddenly changed their minds.
Coincidence? The faithful would say not.
While it may seem a bit improper to bury St. Joseph upside-down on your property, this is actually one of the recommended variations. You can apparently bury either a medal or a statue in the front or back yard, either right side up or upside down. Some say the saint should face the house; some say he should be close to the "For Sale" sign. Wherever you place the patron saint, it appears that miracles do happen. One real estate agent reported that the owners of a listing buried statues of the saint without telling her, after the home sat on the market without a nibble. They suddenly got offers repeatedly, while other better listings continued to sit on the market for months.
The owners had buried statues of the saint in both the front and back yards.
If you manage to sell, you still need to have the right mortgage loan for your home. If you need a mortgage, check out a few of the sponsors for our site. And keep a statue of St. Joseph beside the computer, just in case.
Michael Chantrel