Catechism of the Catholic Church

define: catechism

From personal experience, "catechism" is an ugly sounding word of non-English origin that to many English-speaking non-catholics has negative connotation. It is hardly pronounced or uttered with poetic intention. It rolls off the tongue like a rough cut piece of timber that can be harmful to those nearby, including yourself. See also: catechumen. Some also say, see: Antichrist.

denotative (intended) meaning of "catechism" = teaching, usually used by catholic or orthodox denominations

The official Catechism of the Catholic Church is easily searched online:

• Quick: http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm
• Thorough with footnotes and references included: http://www.kofc.org/publications/cis/catechism/index.cfm
• Direct: http://www.vatican.va/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm
• A list of all the Bible scripture references in the Catechism: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_NOTE.HTM 
• PDF: Catechism of the Catholic Church (pdf)

For the curious from the Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary:
catechism1 [ˈkӕtikizəm] noun
a book (especially religious) of instructions by means of question and answer

• Arabic: كِتابٌ تَعْليميٌّ دينيٌّ بِطَريقَةِ السؤالِ والجَواب

1. Brief Catechism of the Catholic Church: موجز التعليم المسيحي للكنيسة الكاثوليكية
2. Larger catechism: http://www.coptcatholic.net/section.php?hash=c2lkPTE2
3. http://www.aveomaria.com/saintamaria/nodeorder/term/1984

• Chinese (Simplified): 问答集,问答教学法
• Chinese (Traditional): 問答集,問答教學法
• Czech: katechismus
• Danish: katekismus
• Dutch: catechismus
• Estonian: katekismus
• Finnish: katekismus
• French: catéchisme
• German: der Katechismus
• Greek: κατήχηση
• Hungarian: katekizmus, káté
• Icelandic: kennslubók (spurningar og svör), (fermingar-)kver
• Indonesian: katekisme
• Italian: catechismo; (prontuario a domande e risposte)
• Japanese: 教義問答書
• Korean: 교리 문답집, 문답식 교과서
• Latvian: katķisms
• Lithuanian: katekizmas
• Norwegian: katekisme
• Polish: katechizm
• Portuguese (Brazil): catecismo
• Portuguese (Portugal): catecismo
• Romanian: catehism
• Russian: катехизис
• Slovak: katechizmus
• Slovenian: katekizem
• Spanish: catecismo
• Swedish: katekes
• Turkish: sorulu-cevaplı din öğrenim kitabı; ilmihal

In ecclesiology, a catechumen (IPA: /ˌkætəˈkjuːmən/; from Latin catechumenus, Greek κατηχουμενος , instructed) is one receiving instruction in the principles of the Christian religion with a view to baptism.-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catechumen