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"The saints aren't dead according to the Christian faith."

All of the original apostles, except John, died as martyrs as they were appointed to do. Their bodies, as well as Mary's, are in the ground. Yes, since they have eternal life, their spirits are alive with God presently. The Bible defines physical death as the spirit being absent from the body.

James 2:26 - For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

2 Cor. 5:1-10 - For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle (our physical bodies) were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon... that mortality might be swallowed up of life... we are always confident, knowing that, while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord... We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Therefore we labor, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

1 Cor. 4:9 - For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.

If they were alive today, the apostles would abhor and forbid the practice of making prayers addressed to them or anyone else but God alone.

Acts 3:12 - And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?

Acts 14:15-18 - And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. And with these sayings scarce restrained they the people, that they had not done sacrifice unto them.

1 Corinthians 1:13-17 - Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

Acts 4:12 - Neither is there salvation in any other (than Jesus Christ): for there is no other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Philippians 2:9 - God also has highly exalted Him (Christ Jesus), and given Him a name which is above every name.

No church is inerrant, i.e. incapable of error. That is why God commanded some of the first-century churches to repent. They needed repentance from wrong behavior as well as wrong doctrine. (See Revelation chapters 1-3.)

I do not intend to denigrate Catholicism. The Roman Catholic Church remained faithful in its teaching on homosexuality, abortion and other issues while many other churches fell away. But the issue of praying to dead saints is one where the Roman Catholic Church has not remained faithful to the teachings of the Bible. She is in need of repentance.