The Pope Leaves Voicemail, Just Like Everyone Else Luca Zennaro / pool / AFP / Getty Images Pope Francis adresses to journalists aboard the papal flight, on the way back to Italy from Brazil, on July 28, 2013. Pope Francis had a New Year's message for a group of Spanish nuns, but they were too busy to pick up when he called. In his voicemail, Francis quipped, "What are the nuns doing that they can't answer? I am Pope Francis, I wish to greet you in this end of the year, I will see if I can call you later. May God Bless you! It turns out they were busy praying when he called shortly before noon, CNN reports. The prioress of the convent, Sister Adriana, forwarded the message to Spanish radio network COPE and said she "literally wanted to die" when she discovered his message. The nuns didn't know how to return Pope Francis" call, but he tried back a few hours later. "The message from Pope Francis was to never lose hope, because sadness leads to spiritual sloth and hopelessness," said Sister Adriana.