Fr. Thomas Hopko on CONFESSION

a talk given to A.E.O.M. (then-Antiochian Evangelical Orthodox Mission) priests in Jackson MS by Fr. +Thomas Hopko (of blessed memory), then-new Dean of St Vladimir Seminary.
(edited approx. in half)
As soon as I got this video from the then-popular Orthodox newspaper The Christian Activist (published by Franky Shaeffer), I edited it down from about two hours to about one hour, and showed it to all my catechumens. Later, I burned an edited version on to DVD. I have shown it to every catechism class I've ever had. And now, assigned to St Brendan the Navigator Orthodox Mission in Bullhead City AZ (YES, we ask your fervent intercession!!!), I discovered my DVD gone (the case was empty). Long ago I had made a DVD copy as a backup, and I eventually found that, but it was corrupted and three different recovery places couldn't get anything from it. I asked anyone looking at my Facebook profile, still to no avail. So, I started calling every former AEOM parish, and one (Santa Barbara) suggested I contact the good folks in Jackson MS, because the talk was given there (I didn't know that). So, I looked up phone number for leaders at the former AEOM near Jackson, and Father Herman emailed back that he had a tape! Overjoyed, I bought a VHS player/recorder, and when that didn't allow VHS tape-to-DVD recording, I researched and bought a DigitNow video capture card/hardware, and here is the result. We watched this at St Brendan today, as soon as I transferred it onto my computer and edited it down to just over an hour. Thank God!!!

[@stevenhunter3345]

"We do not believe in magic. We do not believe in mechanics. We believe in grace." Such an important point when trying to understand our life in Christ in and through the Holy Mysteries.

[@OrthodoxReview]

I miss Fr Tom so much...

[@isaiahkerstetter3142]

Absolutely enlightening. May his memory be eternal.

[@jasonallen332]

So helpful! Thanks for sharing this. Glory to God

[@spewbert]

I cried during the story of the woman at the end.

[@GraceOnly3]

Thanks for this - and acknowledging the benefit of “good” 12 step groups.

[@albertsalmani7374]

Thank you for sharing 🙏

[@julijanacvejic517]

Thank you for shareing this!

[@JuliaJayATOP]

So good

[@ervinromero8152]

Please post the whole thing!

[@JuliaJayATOP]

❤

[@josephlopez141]

Would it be possible to find this video unedited?

[@thebr5294]

I repent committing many lustful mortal sins.

[@blockpartyvintage1568]

Go to a priest

[@sweetcanary3006]

why have you published this ? it's for priests

[@ays.939]

OP is a priest himself, you don’t think he knows what he’s doing?

[@mariannebonsignore6060]

I find this talk extremely interesting and I'm no priest - what's your point?

[@mikecarter6471]

This is not for only priests, but for all that go by the name Christian. No exceptions.

[@mariannebonsignore6060]

@@mikecarter6471 exactly!

[@rustybeltway2373]

According to the description, the audience was the "Evangelical Orthodox" group that was eventually received into the Antiochian Church. Some of them were eventually ordained, Fr Peter Gilquist, of note. So it was not a clergy retreat. That group began with Campus Crusade for Christ but started going deep on history, the Fathers, liturgics, etc. until they became Orthodox.

[@ivys1109]

I don't believe in an orientation. God makes us in his image.