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[quote=Anonymous]Who says that Catholics have no real faith in Christ?  Jesus Christ is at the center of Catholic faith as the incarnation of God on earth.

Saints may be dead physically, but Catholics believe that our souls are eternal.  All people on earth are called to be holy.  When you are striving to follow a path, it is helpful to have others to inspire you, teach you and lead you.  That is why we have saints:  to guide, teach, lead and inspire.  They were special people during their lifetimes.  This is why people have favorite saints:  because there is something about that person that you can connect with and will help you on your spiritual path towards holiness.  Holiness in this case is following the teachings of Jesus Christ. We are not worshipping dead people.

Jesus is approachable.  Think of how many times people connect with his human side. "Jesus is my personal Savior."  Emphasis on the word personal. But Catholics have an intimate relationship to Jesus by receiving communion.  "The Eucharist is the source and summit of Christian life" per the definition in the Catholic catechism.  OP:  it is not about the saints.

But going back to saints, there is an important cultural aspect to learning about saints.  Saints, because of how they lived their lives, may come to represent certain qualities or values or lived in certain places and so have cultural resonance and presence.

The United Church of Christ (the former Congregationalists) have been posting banners on their church lawns which say "God is Still Speaking".  The first time I saw it I agreed.  The Catholic church believes that God is still speaking:  through the Holy Spirit, through the lives of new saints and through the action of our own lives and our connection to Jesus Christ.

Catholicism is a religion that is based on mysticism.  According to the Oxford Dictionary, mysticism is:  
1.belief that union with or absorption into the Deity or the absolute, or the spiritual apprehension of knowledge inaccessible to the intellect, may be attained through contemplation and self-surrender.

Most people are not drawn to seeking out mystical connections.  It is tough being Catholic these days. 
Lots of people get caught up in the noise, the scandals, the exertion of psychological power by the clergy.  It is sad, but it happens and people are hurt and damaged. Peace.

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