Br. Daniel Cruz walks with teens facing an uncertain future

At St. Camillus Parish in Silver Spring, Maryland, where a predominately immigrant community is experiencing increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, ministry seldom involves quick fixes or easy answers. 

For Br. Daniel Cruz, OFM – a young friar serving in parish and youth ministry – it’s all about presence. He sits in silence with young people carrying fears far beyond their years: anxiety about family security, uncertainty around immigration status and worries about what the next day might bring. 

Alongside his parish responsibilities, Br. Daniel supports teens and young adults by building relationships based on trust, consistency and care. His pastoral approach is rooted in accompaniment. 

“A lot of our young people are facing uncertain realities and adult responsibilities much earlier than they should,” said Br. Daniel. “Sometimes what they need most is to know that the Church is with them.” 

Stories rarely spoken aloud

Br. Daniel and youth ministers organize weekend gatherings where young people share these worries freely in groups. Br. Daniel rotates among the groups, hoping to build belonging so teens and young adults see the parish as a welcoming refuge. 

In those spaces, young people share stories that rarely surface publicly. Some secretly worry about what would happen if a parent were detained or deported; others understand they could one day be responsible for younger siblings. In at least one instance, a family spoke openly with their children about contingency plans, discussing guardianship and separation as real possibilities. 

“A lot of our young people are facing realities that aren’t typical of their age,” Br. Daniel said. “They’re thinking about responsibilities that most people don’t face until much later in life.” 

Learning ministry in real time

Silver Spring is among the most diverse places in Maryland, with roughly one-third of residents born outside the U.S. and more than 40 percent speaking a language other than English. In Montgomery County, almost four in seven children, most of whom were born in the United States, have at least one immigrant parent. That diversity brings both vibrancy and complexity to youth ministry, and is similar in neighboring Prince George’s County, where the parish operates in its Langly Park mission. 

In a multilingual, multicultural parish, Br. Daniel has learned that ministry often begins by helping teens and young adults feel they belong. Even some of the families with legal status are living with fear fueled by doubt and misinformation, making it essential for him to stay reverent and approachable. 

For young people struggling with uncertainties beyond their years, Br. Daniel represents steadiness. Conversations unfold at the tempo they set, and Br. Daniel is there to listen to what they want to share. They return week after week, knowing that with him, they will find consistency and compassion. 

Encounters like these have become part of Br. Daniel’s own continuing formation – he professed solemn vows less than one year ago. He also works with youth on occasional retreats – one recently drew nearly 140 young people. Serving at St. Camillus is challenging him to manage tension for those he accompanies – between uncertainty and reassurance, faith and fear, accompaniment and acceptance. 

“It’s a delicate balance,” he said. “I’m still figuring out how to balance that with youth. How do you let them know you’re on their side without creating more fear?” 

A long view of faith

Br. Daniel’s work unfolds through steady, often unseen acts of support, helping teens and young adults feel valued and safe. Not every lesson he teaches will be remembered, but he believes that when the Church offers genuine welcome, faith can take root in its own time. 

That long view has influenced how he understands youth ministry as a faithful presence whose impact may not be visible for years. 

“One wise friar once told me that when you work with youth and young adults, they’re probably not going to remember everything you taught them,” Br. Daniel said. “They might not remember much of it at all, but they will remember how they felt. And I hope that even if they drift away, when they hit a hard moment later in life, they remember that feeling, and that some seed was planted that leads them back.”