Roeland briefly played an important part in the Occupation of the Hainburger Au, which was a turning point for environmental awareness, especially in German-speaking Central Europe.
He moved to Munich to progress his Germans studies, with the then high-profile Catholic intellectual, Romano Guardini before returning to the Netherlands to take up another school teaching post, this time in the Rotterdam conurbation at Schiedam.
The church should offer courses for whistling, training on letting go, just as Jesus recommends, an introduction to carefree forgetfulness whereby all life's uglinesses can be left behind, seminars where folks can relearn how to see, and the eyes and the heart can be at once liberated and opened up to that which is good and beautiful.
The dissertation was never finished, but by 1970 the relocation had become permanent when Cardinal König appointed Roeland Chaplain to the catholic High School Community.
The celebratory aspect of Joop Roeland's Christmas Mass at the Hainberger Au was enhanced by an official retreat in the face of the protests.