The WFB Legacy

If William F. Buckley Jr. was a “cradle conservative,” he was most certainly a “cradle Catholic.” Raised by parents who were devout in their own ways, Bill’s mother, Aloise Steiner Buckley, was particularly devoted to the Catholic faith. Bill made a lifelong habit of praying the Rosary daily in his teenage years, especially during his time in London with his mother and sisters in the early years of World War II.

Buckley’s faith did not merely make him politically conservative but gave him the character that made him such an effective leader—his humility, charity, generosity, grace, and capacity for friendship. Throughout his life, he made countless acts of generosity to friends, including paying for a plane ticket so that Harry Jaffa could see his son graduate from college. In 1997, Buckley published his autobiography of faith, Nearer My God.

About the Author

National Review Institute

National Review Institute was founded by William F. Buckley Jr. as a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) charitable organization in 1991.

If William F. Buckley Jr. was a “cradle conservative,” he was most certainly a “cradle Catholic.” Raised by parents who were devout in their own ways, Bill’s mother, Aloise Steiner Buckley, was particularly devoted to the Catholic faith. Bill made a lifelong habit of praying the Rosary daily in his teenage years, especially during his time in London with his mother and sisters in the early years of World War II.

Buckley’s faith did not merely make him politically conservative but gave him the character that made him such an effective leader—his humility, charity, generosity, grace, and capacity for friendship. Throughout his life, he made countless acts of generosity to friends, including paying for a plane ticket so that Harry Jaffa could see his son graduate from college. In 1997, Buckley published his autobiography of faith, Nearer My God.