Heinz-Joachim Fischer, the author of a book on B16 (reviewed near the bottom of this piece) spoke at St. Vincent College in LaTrobe last night. Two reports, first from Ann Rogers:

This will get you going:

Mr. Fischer was also not surprised when, at a meeting with priests in July, Pope Benedict said he wanted further study of the church’s response to divorced Catholics who remarry outside the church. While as the church’s chief doctrinal guardian, he always upheld church teaching about who can receive communion, in pastoral situations he was generous, Mr. Fischer said.

"Cardinal Ratzinger never refused communion to anybody — not to a Protestant, not to a divorced man or woman," he said.

He expects Pope Benedict to talk less about divisive issues in the church, and more about the basic issues of daily Christian living.

"I think he will speak less about sexual morality to avoid the impression that the church is always focused on these issues," Mr. Fischer said.

In Rome, Pope Benedict has abandoned the bulletproof "popemobile" that Pope John Paul used after he was shot, for an open version that lets him shake hands and bless babies.

"I think he likes to have fresh air on a nice day, and he thinks there is an overkill of security today," Mr. Fischer said. "He believes if something is going to happen, it will happen. He is confident in God."

And from another paper:

Ratzinger is 78 years old, "but he’s not an old man," Fischer said. "He has a very young spirit, a spirit for the future. He is always curious and is a man who will dispute with all the phenomena, all the problems of the world."

He added that Pope Benedict XVI "is very energetic, and very happy. His is not the smile of a politician. It’s very genuine. When he smiles, he is in harmony. It comes from the heart."

The 54th speaker in the college’s annual Threshold lecture series, Fischer was welcomed by St. Vincent Archabbot and Chancellor Douglas R. Nowicki, who had an audience with the pontiff only a week ago.

"I had the opportunity to mention this program to him and the Holy Father’s response was clear and firm," Nowicki said. "He said, ‘I would welcome an invitation to go to St. Vincent to speak about Dr. Fischer.’"