Sigh.
I think I understand your reasoned perspective.
I guess that leaves it to us Prottys to use some term like
“Graduated Believer(s).”
For some reason, they fail to do so . . . and the —to me— inane exchanges perpetuate for the umpteen thousandth time.
It would set my teeth on edge sometimes, if I had any.
LOL. "Sets my gums on edge" doesn't have the same ring, does it? I hope all is well there, or as well as can be.
We could maybe go for a verb instead of an adjective. E.G. "But, [Dominic | saint of choice] has died."
It IS good for us feelthy papists (and the Orthodox] to be challenged to say what is the difference between OT necromancy and praying to/with the saints who have died. What, in our account, changed on Easter Weekend with respect to the status of the dead. On the other hand,I think "your side" needs to give some coherent account of what happened with Moses and Elijah at the Transfiguration.
I THINK it's right to say, from our side's POV,FIRST that God and the saints are out of time, or not bound by time. Praying to the saints, like most things we do, is eschatological, in the sense that it not only looks ahead to the consummation but, as I like to say it, 'kites checks' on the basis of that consummation, enjoying "now" the benefits offered to all of us "on that day."
THEN I would stress, repeat, underline, capitalize, and even occasionally use colored letters
(!)
to state that all the communication takes place by the gift and work of the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit of Christ which makes us one body.