The Augustinian Recollects usually send traditional Christmas cards to all their members, relatives and friends. It goes with it a phrase from Saint Augustine, an image that represents the mystery of the Incarnation – God made man, all the greetings for the coming year, and the overflowing joy for having responded to the call of such immense God who was born among the least.
Within the Year of the Faith, and in line with the process of revitalization, the Order has desired that two of its most outstanding religious in the world of arts would take charge of this Christmas greeting. The collaboration of two religious produced an audiovisual. José Manuel Durán took charge of the musical part with the composition and interpretation of the Christmas carol “Pastores de Belén” while Rafael Nieto did the editing of the video, looking for some suitable images. Nieto also included a citation from Saint Augustine, chosen by the General Curia in Rome. The audiovisual ends with a brief announcement of the Order.
José Manuel Durán and Rafael Nieto have taken into consideration the three official languages of the Order: Spanish, English and Portuguese. The refrain of the Christmas carol is sung in three languages, and the video has been edited in three languages so that the greetings of the Augustinian Recollects may reach more persons in 19 countries where they are present and where one of the three official languages is spoken.
Artists and Religious
“Agustín íntimo” (San Pablo 2012) is the last of the six CDs, composed by José Manuel Durán (Barakaldo, España, 1970). The Augustinian Recollect singer-composer has put into music themes like the pilgrimage in “Camino de Santiago” (EDIBESA 1999), the Eucharist in “Quédate” (Paulinas-Colombia 2008), faith in the Resurrected One in “Vendremos a Él” (EDIBESA 2000), the Marian spirituality in “Madre del Silencio” (Paulinas-Colombia 2003) and some texts from Saint Augustine in “Confieso tu amor” (Manantial 2006).
Rafael Nieto (San Millán de la Cogolla, España, 1972) is an Augustinian Recollect. Since his early years, he has been doing designs, paintings, sculpture, sketches and photography. He has specialized in religious arts and contributes in designing and editing of various publications and websites in Spain, Venezuela, Peru and Italy. He is also the author of the iconography of Augustinian saints and the creativity of the liturgical calendar which the website of the Order of Augustinian Recollects present.