Jonas Brack

Jonas Brack was a young halberdier in the first year of his service when Pope Innocent XIV was elected. The Angelus shooting disillusioned him about his ability to protect people, and specifically the Holy Father Innocent, and after his mandatory months of service he entered the Pontifical Seminary of Rome. Upon his ordination, he accepted a position in the Papal Household, eventually becoming its Prefect. By the end of the Innocent papacy, he had an important role in the running of the Holy See, and under the next pope was elevated to the status of Cardinal.

Biography

Early Years

Jonas Brack was born in Mürren in the canton of Bern in Switzerland to a Schwiizerdütsch-speaking, nominally Catholic family. His father was Rudolph Brack, an advertising executive. His mother was Carola Brack (nee Keller), an office administrator and dog breeder. Jonas grew up with his mother's Bernese mountain dogs and his father's temper. He completed his matura, and worked as a table waiter, volunteer amateur football coach, and hospital volunteer, as well as doing basic military training in the Swiss army.

His best subjects in school were P.E. and religion, and he often got into trouble for getting into fights with bullies, defending himself and other students. By his final years of schooling, he had stopped getting into fights so there wouldn't be anything in his record against him. Indeed, his school principal Silvia Forster reported that he had matured well, and was pleased to be one of his references when he applied to the Pontifical Swiss Guard (his ambition since age 12).

His other referee was Father Vince Stiefel, the priest at his local Catholic church, who noted his piety and dedication to his faith, biking to mass every Sunday instead of going with his family to the more convenient protestant church nearer his home.

Pontifical Swiss Guard

Jonas Brack served his mandatory 2 1/2 years as a halberdier. In this time, he befriended fellow halberdier Gavino Bianchi, keeping and getting him out of trouble as much as he could. Jonas regarded Major Allaman and, to a lesser extent, Chaplain Meienberg and Commander Leutzinger, as father figures.

clergy

seminary and Papal Household

Jonas attended the Pontifical Seminary in Rome for six years. Upon his ordination, his bishop (Innocent XIV) offered him a place in the Papal Household, assisting its prefect, which he immediately and joyously accepted, having grown to love Innocent as a father.

Father Brack (right) with Pope Innocent and Martin Allaman.

Prefect of the Papal Household

Eventually, Jonas became the Prefect of the Papal Household (moving, also, from ordinary priest to Monsignor to Bishop and Archbishop), a role in which he served for the rest of Innocent's lifetime. As well as managing much of the Pope's schedule, he also served as a care worker as Innocent ailed.

At the formal pronouncement of sede vacante after Innocent's death, Jonas was left absolutely shattered, having lost, in one day, his father, his job, and his home.

after Innocent

Coaxed back to the Vatican by the next pope, Archbishop Jonas Brack was created Jonas Cardinal Brack, and in the next papal election was regarded as papabile.

Brack was still devastated by the loss of the man to whom he had dedicated his life. Conversely, the death of former Commander Leutzinger gave him something of a sense of identity and purpose back, as he marched in the funeral parade alongside serving members of the Pontifical Swiss Guard and reclaiming his identity as a shield and a shepherd, Acriter et Fideliter.

Notes

• Likes: flowers, soccer, making friends, dogs, helping people.
• Dislikes: James Bond, questions about his family, bitter food, bullies, smog.
• Traits: idealistic, loyal, hard-working, optimistic, helpful, respectful.
• Flaws: defensive, stubborn, grudge-keeper, indecisive, impulsive, gullible.
• Skills: crowd control, agility, languages, animal handling, heart.

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