In 1972, Ratzinger said 'yes' to communion for remarried divorcees

But in republished essay, the Pope Emeritus has removed the parts indicating an open approach on the topic.

Vatican City:  In 1972, less than five years before his nomination as bishop and cardinal, when he was still a member of the international theological commission set up by Paul VI, Joseph Ratzinger — who would later become Pope Benedict XVI — expressed himself in favor of admitting remarried divorcees to the sacrament of the Eucharist.

This was on the condition that a couple’s second union was based on a solid bond that had stood the test of time. The couple had to respect its moral obligations towards their children and actively practice the faith. Admission to the Eucharist would be through extrajudicial means, with the parish priest and members of the community as witnesses. According to Ratzinger, this solution was backed by tradition.

The future Pope expressed these thoughts in a scientific essay that has been published in a collection of Christological reflections. Now this essay has been published again in Ratzinger’s Opera Omnia.

But having carried out a thorough review of the text, Ratzinger has decided to make significant changes to the conclusion, removing the bits in which he took an open approach toward remarried divorcees back in 1972.

Source: Vatican Insider