The parish corresponds roughly with the ancient royal forest of Bernwoode within Bucks and comprises 24 villages, each with its own pre-reformation Church.  There are two mass centres, Catholic Church of St Edmund of Abingdon at Westcott and the parish church, Our Lady of Light at Long Crendon.

In 1946 the Ministry of Defence employed McAlpine with its strong Irish labour force to build their top-secret rocket site on Westcott aerodrome. The Irish wanted their Sunday Mass; Canon McHugh of St Joseph's purchased a derelict Baptist Chapel for £80 in Lower Green, Westcott, and sent a curate to offer the Sunday Mass. The Irish restored the Chapel and it was used for Sunday Mass by the local Catholic families as well and dedicated to St. Edmund of Abingdon.

The Northampton Traveling Missioners

Father Anthony Hume and later Father McCormic visited the villages in 1951 and in subsequent years offered quarterly Mass in the villages of Long Crendon, Brill and Haddenham. Mass was offered in the travelling Chapel first and then in pubs. In 1960 Haddenham and Long Crendon approached the Salesians at Cowley, Oxford for a priest to offer the Sunday Mass and it was agreed that Haddenham would collect the priest who would offer the 8:30 a.m. Mass in the Village Hall and be taken to the new Hall in Long Crendon where he would offer the 10:30 a.m. Mass and be entertained to lunch by one of the parishioners before being taken back to Cowley. This arrangement worked smoothly till 1969 when Oxford went comprehensive and the Salesians shut down their very successful and popular senior school and returned to Farnborough.

At Long Crendon a powerful character had emerged in the late fifties. His name: John Butler. He became a Master Mason at Crendon Concrete and specialised in drainage. In 1960 he was promoted to Foreman and Stores Manager.

While living in Long Crendon, he had noticed a goodly number of Catholic families with no-one to teach the catechism, he took on the job.  Then a parishioner, Freddie Grisewood of radio fame offered £1000 for the purchase of a Chapel converted into a barn. Armed with this offer John wrote to Bishop Parker requesting a priest to give the children their 1st Communion. The Bishop was impressed and called a meeting of all interested parties. 12 men turned up and all gave their support for the barn. When it came to John he said: "I have no money to give but I have two strong hands to build". The Bishop answered "Bravo" and turned to Canon Galvin, St Joseph's Parish Priest: "Can you suggest a priest for this pretty tough assignment?" "Yes, my lord," replied the Canon "I know a priest who can survive on glass of milk and a banana" "That's the man," replied the Bishop and Father Boswell was appointed priest in charge of Long Crendon.

Father Boswell assumed responsibility on 15th of September 1963. The parish council had turned down all applications for a Catholic Chapel. So Father Boswell decided to develop Haddenham and took up residence in the sacristy at Westcott - the only Catholic property that existed. 

Long Crendon

In 1966 a tenant's cottage with approximately an acre of land was purchased on Chearsley Road hard by the High Street for £6,000 and permission was granted for a Church and presbytery. This was precisely what John Butler had been praying for. He organised a team again working only in the evening and on Saturdays but with greater breaks in between. The work continued over five years, the materials being purchased as the money came in. All was finished in 1971 and "Our Lady of Light" was solemnly blessed by Bishop Grant on 13th May. The total cost was £36,000. At no time was a debt incurred. Father Boswell moved from St Edmund's sacristy, his headquarters for seven years, to the Presbytery, Long Crendon on 30th October 1970 and Long Crendon became the Parish Centre.  The church itself is most unusual in design and rich in detail, (see Church History) and has been the focus of pilgrimage to the facsimiles of the Holy Shroud.

Fr. Eric Manley-Harris

Father Eric was formally inducted into the parish in May 2005 as a result of Father Boswell's poor health and subsequent retirement.  He is a governor St. Edwards Catholic Junior School in Aylesbury.