REYKJAVIK, Iceland (LifeSiteNews) — A Catholic priest in Iceland is facing a criminal investigation for allegedly promoting “conversion therapy” of people with homosexual tendencies.
According to Catholic World Report, the Reykjavik capital police announced that they will examine the remarks made by Father Jakob Rolland, the chancellor of the Diocese of Reykjavik, in an interview about the Church’s position on LGBT issues to determine whether to open a criminal investigation.
In the interview with state broadcaster RÚV, Rolland affirmed that the Catholic Church hopes for people with homosexual inclinations to “change over time” and that the Church “provides them with assistance.” He added that people have come to the Church in Iceland to overcome such tendencies.
“Sexual orientation is only one factor among many that concern an individual’s tendencies towards some lifestyle that is not good for the individual and not good for society,” he said.
“And ‘conversion’ – change of heart – this is a key word in the daily life of Catholic people. We are constantly in the position of turning away from what is evil towards what is good,” the priest continued.
According to a 2023 law, “conversion therapy” of individuals who identify as LGBT is banned. Pro-LGBT critics of Rolland have argued that the Church wants to “convert” the sexual inclinations of Icelanders, even if the methods are not traditionally considered part of therapy. According to Catholic World Report, these critics claim that adhering to Church teaching and refusing admission to the Eucharist for those engaged in homosexual behavior represents a form of conversion therapy.
“It’s important to realize that even though he talks about it being just conversations, it is suppression therapy, no matter how organized it is,” Bjarndís Helga Tómasdóttir, chairwoman of an Icelandic LGBT activist group, asserted. “This is a crime and should be investigated as such.”
When asked whether he feels bound by the laws against “conversion therapy,” Rolland replied, “Yes, as long as the laws align with God’s laws, then it’s fine. It has been known in law from the very beginning that when the laws of the land and God’s laws conflict, God’s laws apply.”
Back in 2019, Rolland already told a journalist the following: “If two women came to us and wanted to marry, then I’d say, ‘Unfortunately, that won’t work for us.’ If they wanted to press charges, I’d say, ‘Do it.’ If I go to prison, then I go to prison, but it won’t change my position.”
Regarding homosexual acts, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.” They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.
The Catechism adds that the homosexual inclination is “objectively disordered.”
In recent interviews, Fr. Rolland affirmed that Catholics who suffer from homosexual inclinations may receive the Eucharist only if they are not engaged in homosexual activity.
“All belong in the Church and may call upon God to receive cleansing of the soul and reach the Kingdom of Heaven,” he said.
Regarding the prohibition of conversion therapy, he stated, “No, there are no organized suppression therapies, just people talking together … People talk to a priest and seek advice. Then there are people who want support in their spiritual life. They come to us, come to church, come to prayer services, to Mass. It is primarily in this area that we can help.”
Iceland is largely Lutheran but, in practice, it is a highly secularized society. The Lutheran Church of Iceland has given in to LGBT ideology and practically supports all of LGBT activists’ positions.
Until recently, the Catholic faith has been almost non-existent for four centuries in the small island nation. Almost all Catholic priests in Iceland are immigrants, mostly coming from Poland and other European countries. However, the Catholic faith has been growing, and today Catholics make up around four percent of the population.
In a recent interview, Rolland, who is originally from France but has lived in Iceland as a missionary priest for decades, confirmed the hopeful trend of Icelanders finding the Catholic faith: “Yesterday I had a meeting for people who want to learn more about the Catholic faith and the Church’s teachings. And it was just a large group, and the vast majority were young people. So maybe it’s also part of the zeitgeist to be looking for an anchor, for answers to life’s questions. You want to find security and a sanctuary and community, and that’s the kind of people who come to us.”