Up until Christ, being saved was restricted to the Jews and a strict method to atone for sins (sacrifice). When Christ died it was a game changer. He graciously included everyone and made it personal. This is very clear with the exchange on the cross between Jesus and the thief. It’s a personal walk now and you don’t need to have a catholic priest to pray to god for you. I don’t see any evidence of the thief being catholic and he indeed was saved by having a personal connection with the redeemer.