Do your read patristic Greek as well as Latin, Mark?
I think I have Loyal Dissent on order. Must check. Currently reading his history of American moral theology. 

Re Ratzinger, it is my understanding that he did a 180 reversal in 1968 during a student revolt in Germany. Apparently, he just could not deal with the fact that some of his own students were involved. I think B16 is a very, very sensitive fellow, and just cannot deal with conflict. When he became pope, he just couldn't dethrone those who had been loyal to him no matter how incompetent they proved themselves in their posts. IMHO, that is a big part of why he resigned. I applaud him for that, not so much because I disagree with what he became post 1968, but because he seems to have understood his own incapacity. That's hard and very noble.

I would also guess that B16 respects Francis, despite obvious difference in theology, because Francis possess precisely the quality of "toughness" that Josef lacked.