By Christine Hasircoglu

According to a recent Nightline internet broadcast, Saint Joseph is no longer just the foster father of Jesus, he’s also the patron saint of realtors.

With the real estate market suffering in Massachusetts, home sellers are looking for divine intervention in the form of six-inch plastic statuettes of the Virgin Mary’s husband.

Apparently, even non-Catholics are in on the action. Seller Amy Vaughn planted Saint Joseph under her for sale sign for “extra good luck.” She’s a self-proclaimed “really superstitious person,” so much that “she’ll try anything,” even burying a statue of St. Joseph, a saint she has no connection to or belief in.

A quick Google search of “Saint Joseph” yields multiple sponsored links asking you to buy your very own “St. Joseph Home Sales Kit!” for only $4.95 (complimentary home listing with purchase). Once you get your home kit, it’s easy: Just bury the statue in the ground (head first, feet facing the door), say a few prayers, and ta-da, house sold! Nightline reports that sales on StJosephStatue.com have jumped 250% due to the declining real estate market.

What’s particularly interesting about this trend piece is that Nightline features a non-Catholic home seller, and a clerk in a church gift shop, yet traditional religious voices are nowhere to be found. The piece leaves observant viewers wondering if there might be at least a few among the faithful who disagree with the use of religious objects divorced from devotion. There are no doubt devout Catholics who would have a lot to say about superstitious, non-religious realtors burying Saint Joseph in hopes of making a profit. And if that doesn’t anger them, maybe his popularity being compared to that of “Tickle-Me-Elmo” will.

There are interesting questions raised by this light story, but unfortunately Nightline doesn’t bother to ask.

Christine Hasircoglu is a student at the University of Southern California.