So, just as I can ask for my fellow living Christian brothers ans sisters to pray for me now, so can I ask the Saints to implore Christ to aid me in my daily walk.
If you look at many of the formal prayers involving Saints, they all point to Christ; none edify the Saint either as an equal to God or above God -- NONE.
Catholic Saints are not perfect. They have the same human weaknesses and temptations the you and I experience on a daily basis. Rather, they are persons who lived their Christian walk in exemplary fashion and in a manner we should emulate.
So, as Catholics, we ask the Saints and the entire Body of Christ (living and deceased) to intervene on our behalf to God.
And yes, we can certainly pray directly to God, as we do. Its just like asking your Christian friends to pray for you. No difference. The key is that in terms of our souls, there is no living or dead; but rather a transition from life on earth to the beatific vision of God in heaven.
Hope this helps clear up any confusion.
>> Saints aren’t perfect. <<
Just to clarify: While they walk the Earth, saints aren’t perfect. They are safe to invoke in our prayers because while they are in Heaven, they are perfected, having been washed pure in the blood of the lamb.