Sr Dr Margaret Beirne represented St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College at the joint meeting of the International Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) and the Australian Catholic Biblical Association (ACBA), held in Adelaide from 4–9 July 2026.

The International SBL Conference is hosted annually in a different country. In 2026, with the conference taking place in Adelaide, the ACBA chose to co-locate its annual meeting with the international gathering. This provided a valuable opportunity for Australian biblical scholars to engage with colleagues from around the world, including members of the Catholic Biblical Association of America.

Although Sr Dr Beirne would ordinarily present a paper in response to the ACBA's annual conference theme—which this year focused on The Eucharist—her principal role at the conference was in her capacity as a member of the ACBA Executive.

During the Association's Annual General Meeting, Sr Dr Beirne presented a proposal to establish the new category of ACBA Life Member, intended to honour those living members who were present at the founding of the Association in 1964 or who joined during its first fifteen years. The proposal was the culmination of extensive historical research undertaken by Sr Dr Beirne, drawing upon the Association's exceptionally rich archival records, which provide an invaluable account of the early development of biblical scholarship in Australia.

The motion was warmly received and unanimously carried by the AGM. Ten distinguished scholars were subsequently elected as the inaugural ACBA Life Members: Bishop David Walker (1964), Fr Neil Brown (1965), Fr Bill O'Shea (1967), Fr Brian Boyle (1974), Mons Peter Jeffrey (1975), Fr Brendan Byrne SJ, Fr Mark O'Brien OP and Sr Veronica Lawson RSM (all 1977), and Fr Joe Sobb SJ (1978). Fr Brendan Byrne, who was present at the conference, delighted attendees by sharing personal recollections from the Association's formative years, offering a fitting tribute to its rich history and enduring contribution to biblical scholarship.