It's something of a lost cause to defend Genesis to American catholics. (I'm actually Orthodox but I get irritated when I see a much more true to doctrine bishop of Rome who may go on to heal the schism and then see catholic 'officials' trying to mess it up with anti-doctrine public comments, so I try to post the official point of view of the pope).
These folks are the result of Vatican II, they are the 'hippy version' of Catholism, and refuse to acknowledge the doctrine as whole and irrefutable.
I too have a healthy respect for Benedict XVI. He's much more forthright than his predecessor (whom I attended mass as a confirmed RC, at the L.A. Colosseum in 1986).