this is just the pope trying to find out what Catholics really think. Also, it wasn’t to be asked of the laity, but of the priests and bishops (the teachers) to see what the laypeople were being taught.
Why does he have to do that?
Shouldn't he rather be telling Catholics what they need to think and believe? Is that not what the first Pope did? Were Saints Peter and Paul running around asking Jews and Gentiles what they thought about bigamy and homo unions?