The key point is whether you believe that those departed are still "alive". The CC believes and teaches that ALL souls will live forever, and that those not currently "embodied" on Earth are as much (actually much more) alive than those of us here, either in purgatory, Heaven, or Hell (and yes, purgatory makes perfect sense as understood by the CC). Those in Heaven are already (and all...not just those recognized as) saints, those in purgatory are "saints-in-waiting", and those in Hell have chosen their destination by their own free will.
"Even if I could speak to saints in the hereafter I’d be doing so as brothers and sisters and praising the Lord in the process.
Which is precisely what CC's do. Let's just say that what you are "standing against" is a faulty image rather than what the RCC is.
"Not just begging favors then goodbye."
According to Catholic doctrine, there is no such thing as "goodbye".......just "not currently here in the flesh".
Note...I joined the RCC about six years ago after forty years as an "unchurched" Episcopalian, after MUCH study.
If I didn’t cancel my Facebook account....I’d love to shove this in all the moral relativist’s faces today!