For many, many years, Catholics were taught "Outside the Church, there is no salvation." In the NewThink of Vatican II, tradition is easily forgotten ...
My father in law was a cultural Christian... went to church because it was the civilized thing to do and then, three days before he died of cancer, sitting up all night because he was afraid to lie down, he saw the clock saying 3:16 and believed. I know he was saved.
Now I can sleep at night :)
There are two types of people in this world: those who are saved through faith in Jesus Christ, and those who are not saved because they have not accepted salvation through Christ's work at the cross.
The nonbelievers are the only ones who can still be saved.
I am not quite getting what the pope meant.