On a serious note, Romney praised the work of the archdiocese and the Al Smith Foundation.
"You answer with calm and willing hearts and service to the poor and care for the sick, in defense and the rights of conscience and in solidarity with the innocent child waiting to be born," he said, adding that he is proud to be an "ally and friend" in these "great causes of compassion."
President Obama offered humorous jabs of his own, saying that he had earlier gone "shopping at some stores in Midtown," while Romney "went shopping for some stores in Midtown."
"As some of you may have noticed, I had a lot more energy in our second debate," the president said. "I felt really well rested after the nice long nap I had in the first debate."
Leaving humor behind, the president also applauded "the extraordinary work that is done by the Catholic Church." He noted that "it's written in scripture that tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance, character, and character hope."
Despite their differences, he said, "I'm certain, that we share the hope that the next four years will reflect the same decency, and the same willingness to come together for a higher purpose that are on display this evening."
Cardinal Dolan closed out the night with remarks that began jokingly but then became reflective on the nature and importance of religious freedom.
He suggested that the annual dinner "shows the United States of America and the Catholic Church at their best," uniting people of diverse faiths, economic backgrounds and political views in "an atmosphere of civility and humor."
Despite their differences, he said, those gathered are grateful "to be people of faith and loyal Americans, loving a country which considers religious liberty our first and most cherished freedom, convinced that faith is not just limited to an hour of Sabbath worship, but affects everything we do and dare and dream."
The cardinal concluded the evening by acknowledging "the 'uns' of the world," including "the unemployed, the uninsured, the unwanted, the unwed mother, the innocent, fragile unborn baby in her womb, the undocumented, the unhoused, the unhealthy, the unfed, the undereducated."
He recalled Al Smith's conviction that government "should be on the side of these 'uns,'" by cooperating with private individuals and religious groups "since, when all is said and done, it's in God we trust, not, ultimately, in government or politics."
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Michelle La Rosa is deputy editor-in-chief of Catholic News Agency. She has worked for CNA since 2011. She studied political philosophy and journalism at the University of Dallas.