The diocese of Quebec has reached an out-of-court settlement with a Quebec businessman, Barry Husk, who sued the diocese, Archbishop Bruce Stavert, and others in 2000, alleging irregularities in diocesan finances. The case had been scheduled to go to trial in Quebec Superior Court in April.

According to the settlement, neither plaintiff nor defendants admitted liability, the diocese made no concessions regarding the issues raised in the actions and Mr. Husk withdrew his charges.

Rodney Clark, the diocesan treasurer, told the Quebec Diocesan Gazette that the legal action has cost the church defendants about $150,000. In 2000, the diocesan executive council directed the diocese to set up a defense fund and each congregation was billed each year in order to cover the synod's share, about $65,000, of defense costs.

Each side in the lawsuit agreed to pay its own costs. Mr. Clark has negotiated reimbursement of 50 per cent of the legal costs from the diocese's insurance company and congregations, therefore, will be receiving some reimbursement, the Gazette said.