Cardinal Timothy Dolan held his annual blessing of the animals at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Tuesday — and quipped that the late Staten Island groundhog could have used some extra prot🅘ection before its fatal fall.
“Everybody, everything, can benefit from God’s bles꧃sing!” a 🌄jovial Dolan said at the event.
Last Feb. 2, Mayor Bill de Blasio dropped the wiggling rodent, who died a week later from internal injuries. But the animal wasn’t the real Staten Island Chuck. It was his 🌱stand-in,🌳 Charlotte.
The Catholic leader said he’d be happy to offer a special p𝔉rayer for the marmot at🍌 next year’s Groundhog Day ceremony.
“Oh, if somebody asked, I’d do it,” he said, but he joke🍌d, “I’d be more interested in the turkey for Thanksgiving.”
At the blessing of the aꦓnimals ceremony commemorating Saturday’s Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, Dolan said, “Creatures, animals, they’re just a sign of God’s care for the world. They’re reminders of God’s providence and God’s love.”
The Staten Island Zoo is st🐟ill deciding whether de Blasio should be allowed to put his paws on another furry foreca♛ster next Groundhog Day.
“As we do each year, the zoo will review the G♑roundhog Day ceremony to ensure it is safe and enjoyable for all its participants, our visitors, and, of course, our animals,” zoo spokesman Brian Morris sa🐷id Monday.