In an audience before the Pontifical Academy of Sciences on 31 October 1992 John Paul II officially closed the work of the commission, after having received in that same audience a report from Cardinal Paul Poupard on the work of the commission, with the words: "From the Galileo case we can draw a lesson which is applicable today in analogous cases which arise in our times and which may arise in the future. ... It often happens that, beyond two partial points of view which are in contrast, there exists a wider view of things which embraces both and integrates them."
(The addresses of the Pope and of Cardinal Poupard are published in L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO, 1 November 1992).

However, the Vatican Observatory still continues with the series, STUDI GALILEIANI, and a meeting was held in May 1997 to conduct a further examination of the accomplishments of the working group for science and epistemology and to plan for the future.

George V. Coyne, S.J.