Karly Brooks and Kenzie Cundall: The faith connectors

Young adult group connects Christ the King, Holy Souls parishes

Published: September 1, 2021

By Aprille Hanson Spivey
Associate Editor

Aprille Hanson Spivey

Karly Brooks, who wears her head shaved, laughs with Kenzie Cundall outside Christ the King Church in Little Rock Aug. 13. The friends recently started a young adult group for the parish that meets monthly.

Aprille Hanson Spivey

What saint would you have liked to meet and why?

Kenzie: At this current place in my life maybe St. Thomas, (to) kind of get his perspective from the whole Doubting Thomas situation. Just to hear about what he had to say about that and what he learned in that moment, because I think that's a place that a lot of young adults can relate to and a lot of people in general.

Karly: I actually think St. Augustine, to ask how that drastic transition of his life occurred. I know it was lots of prayers from his mother, but I want to know what he was feeling as he was transitioning and everything.

When Karly Brooks and Kenzie Cundall went out for coffee two years ago, they quickly realized they were going to be friends.

Cundall, 25, grew up attending Christ the King Church in Little Rock. She left her job as the aftercare program/summer camp director for a career in media marketing. Faith is a priority, growing up in a supportive family, including an older brother, Father Brian Cundall.

Brooks, 28, who began attending Christ the King four years ago, is “the great connector,” bringing people together, everyone from her rock climbing group to her Electric Cowboy group. A hematology and oncology nurse at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Brooks enjoys making kids laugh, even jumping out of a box to spray silly string at coworkers.

The two recently formed a Christ the King young adult group. They cooperate with the young adult group at Our Lady of the Holy Souls in Little Rock, each planning monthly events.

“It's one thing to have people in your life who care about you and know you and love you, and that's very important. But there's a part of me that doesn't feel like I can be fully known until someone knows me in the context of my faith,” Cundall said. “... It's not that those other relationships don't matter as much or anything like that, but to not have to be able to explain why I am the way that I am to someone is really beautiful because they just get it.”

Having a Catholic-centered group, not just Christian-based, makes it even more special.

“I love going and sitting in adoration and so being able to sit in the adoration chapel and do praise and worship, these Catholic-specific events, my soul thirsts for that, and it's fulfilled by seeing all of these people on fire for their specific Catholic faith,” Brooks said.