Religion News in Brief - ABC News Congress honors Birmingham church bombing victims WASHINGTON (AP) - House and Senate leaders have awarded Congress' highest civilian honor to four girls killed in an Alabama church bombing nearly 50 years ago. The Congressional Gold Medal was awarded to 14-year-olds Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson and Cynthia Wesley, and 11-year-old Denise McNair. Tuesday's ceremony came five days before the 50th anniversary of their deaths inside the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. The girls were killed in the explosion of a bomb planted outside the church by white supremacists. The attack shocked the nation and helped spur passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Past recipients of the medal include Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife Coretta Scott King. Airline copilot says God spared him on 9/11 RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - A copilot who was bumped from flying one of the hijacked planes on 9/11 believes he's living on borrowed time. Steve Scheibner was a pastor in 2001, dividing his time between ministry and flying for American Airlines. 10, he volunteered to fly the next day's Flight 11 from Boston to Los Angeles, but a more senior pilot bumped him from one of the flights that wound up being hijacked and flown into the World Trade Center in New York. Scheibner believes God spared his life, but can't say why the other pilot died instead. As a Christian, Scheibner believes Jesus took his place by dying on the cross for his sins, so he says, "I know what it's like to have somebody die in my place - not once, but twice." He now heads a ministry called Character Health. Praying mom back at NH school, praying silently CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - A mother who was told she can no longer pray on the steps of her children's high school in New Hampshire has returned, but is praying in silence. Lizarda Urena of Concord had been praying near Concord High School for the protection of the students. In February, she started reciting Bible passages on the school's steps for about 15 minutes daily after police responded to a report of bullets found in a toilet. After the district got questions and complaints, the principal told her she couldn't pray on campus. The Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian group that advocates for religious rights, is providing legal services to Urena. Attorney Matthew Sharp told the Concord Monitor that it appears the issue has been resolved. But school Superintendent Chris Rath said staff will monitor Urena's actions daily to make sure they are in line with campus visitor and religious policies. Pope visits refugees in Rome Jesuit center ROME (AP) - Pope Francis says members of religious orders should use empty convents and other structures to house refugees fleeing war and hardship. He said, "The church does not need the empty convents to be turned into hotels to earn money. The trend has spread throughout Italy with former religious housing being offered as guest houses for contemplative vacations.