I think, many Catholics, bombarded by anti-Catholic propaganda, adopt that apologetic tone: "Yeah, we ask for the prayers of the saints but that is no different than you asking a friend to pray" or "we don't really bow to them", etc.
The fact is, we don't venerate, bow, prostrate, pray to, display images of, talk to, sing to, wisper to, yell to saints enough, if we are serious about loving God.
God gave us a gift and we apologize about it.
No way.
When are the Protestants going to apologize for their barren places of worship? That is the real scandal here.
Madonna and Child between St Francis and St Anthony
Donatello
1448
Bronze, height 147, 160 and 145 cm
Basilica di Sant'Antonio, Padua