Need help with advertising? Pray to St. Bernadine of Siena

Called the "Apostle of Italy," St. Bernadine of Siena was known as one of the greatest preachers of all time. Thousands of people would flock to the places where he preached and his words were so moving that people immediately repented from their wrongdoing.

One unique aspect of his preaching was his ability to use visual aids, which was a novelty at the time, as most preachers would rely solely on their vocal abilities to relay a message to their audience.

Among his own passions was a devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, "Everywhere Bernardine persuaded the cities to take down the arms of their warring factions from the church and palace walls and to inscribe there, instead, the initials I.H.S... At Bologna Bernardine induced a card-painter, who had been ruined by his sermons against gambling, to make a living by designing these tablets, and such was the desire to possess them that the man soon realized a small fortune."

Over the centuries there have been numerous paintings that depict St. Bernadine holding up these cards, preaching to the people about the Holy Name of Jesus.

On account of the effectiveness of his preaching and his effective use of visual aids to convince the multitudes, St. Bernadine is now known as the patron saint of advertisers.

His example reminds us the reality that often preaching the Gospel to a particular audience will require adaptation, thinking outside the box to figure out the most effective means.

St. Bernadine wasn't afraid to try something new, in hopes that it would further reinforce the message he was preaching.

So, if you are struggling with advertising your own business or organization, pray to St. Bernadine of Siena, who knew that in order to relay an important message, one has to use various forms of media, and use them effectively.