No, they didn't. The Gospel came from words and deeds of Christ, recorded in the writings of the first apostles and disciples, most all of whom were Jewish. They were not "Catholic", nor ever self identified as such.
There was no "catholic church", at that time that the writings were first being widely circulated, and no "Catholic Holy Tradition", at the time of the earliest, and next earliest generation of apostles and followers of Christ. All that "Catholic" labeling stuff, came somewhat later...although the they DID recognize the body of written works, that at the time of the founding of the "RCC", had already been widely circulated, and accepted for some time, as being 'canonical', and accurate.
We can however, thank the exacting, painstaking work of many Catholic monks who preserved it. And I do.
How do you explain this from the writings of Ignatius of Antioch, AD 107:
“You must follow the bishop as Jesus Christ follows the Father, and the presbytery as you would the Apostles. Reverence the deacons as you would the command of God. Let no one do anything of concern to the Church without the bishop. Let that be considered a valid Eucharist which is celebrated by the bishop, or by one whom he appoints. Wherever the bishop appears, let the people be there, just as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church.”
Yes.
1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a narration of the things that have been accomplished among us; 2 According as they have delivered them unto us, who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word: 3 It seemed good to me also, having diligently attained to all things from the beginning, to write to thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4 That thou mayest know the verity of those words in which thou hast been instructed.Luke 1
Theophilus "has been instructed" and afterwards the Gospel is written. Tradition preceded the Gospel.
[the Apostles were Jewish and] were not "Catholic", nor ever self identified as such.
The word "catholic" emerged in the writings of St. Ignatius who died in AD 107. The New Testament were not sorted out till much later. There is nothing in the writings of the Holy Apostles that looks a tiniest bit un-Catholic or un-Orthodox; the Church that fought off heresies and assembled the scripture was Catholic Orthodox.
the founding of the "RCC
The birth of the Catholic Church is prophesied in Matthew 16 and recorded in Acts 2.
Jewish by birth. They became Christian when they came to believe that Jesus was Christ.
The Catholic Church began with the words of Christ ("On this rock...")
Peter is the first pope.