Why did Cardinal Bem, an intelligent man, not notice that his captors were not really security police?

Is Bem doing the right thing to have patience and go along with an oppressive government, or are the Catholic Fighters right to consider him a lapdog of the Prime Minister?

Is Cardinal Bem a weak "careerist" interested only in his own power and position?

Are religion and politics one and the same in this story? Is it possible for Cardinal Bem to separate them? Is it possible for Prime Minister Urban to do so?

Is Cardinal Bem correct in his belief that people turn to organized religion more during times of political crisis? Why or why not?

Discuss Cardinal Bem's transformation from cardinal to bridge urchin back to cardinal: what were the steps along the way and in what way did they affect him? Was he...