Obviously, one's first care must be for the natural sources of zeal, the officers. These must be kept always in the grip of first fervour; and this is best effected by change. If the officers fail, everything withers. If they lose fire and enthusiasm, the body they control will reproduce the same process. (Handbook 14:12)

Chapter 34 of the handbook details the duties of officers of praesidia. With the aim of encouraging officers to make themselves familiar with the full content of that chapter, a few points from it are quoted below:

"As the Legion judges its success entirely according to the spiritual qualities developed in its members and brought to bear by them on their work, it follows that the Spiritual Director, on whom the duty primarily falls of inspiring the members with those qualities, is the very mainspring of the praesidium."

"A principal duty of the President shall be to attend the meetings of the Curia ... He shall allocate the work and receive the members' reports on their work. He shall remember that he is there as the Legion's trustee for the faithful carrying out of the system in all its details. .... In the absence of the Spiritual Director, he shall give the Allocutio or assign someone to give it... He shall instruct and supervise the other officers in the performance of their duties.... He shall cultivate the spirit of fraternity in the praesidium, knowing that when this is gone all is gone. He shall satisfy himself that the work of each legionary is being done:-
(a) in the right spirit;
(b) along the right lines;
(c) that all the good which the Legion would wish to see reaped in each case is in fact achieved;
(d) that old work is from time to time returned upon; and
(e) that an enterprising spirit is kept alive in the members by the regular breaking of new ground.... He shall secure from the members the degree of effort and self-sacrifice of which they are capable.... He shall, like every other officer and member, satisfy the obligations of membership by doing the ordinary work of the praesidium.... he must never be found wanting in those things which a leading authority on the lay apostolate (Cardinal Pizzardo) insists must characterise in a very special manner every leader in that movement: the virtue of docility to ecclesiastical authority...."

"It shall be the duty of the Vice-President to attend the meetings of the Curia.... He shall preside at the praesidium meeting in the event of the absence of the President.... In particular the Vice-President is charged with the duty of looking after membership....He shall keep the various registers relating to active, praetorian, adjutorian, and auxiliary membership...He shall see that auxiliary members are visited at the end of their probation period ....He shall notify the active probationers of the drawing to a close of their probation, and shall make all arrangements for the taking of the Promise.... He shall note the fact that a member is absenting himself from the meetings; and .... endeavour to prevent a complete falling away from membership....He shall see to it that the duty of prayer for the deceased members is not neglected....He shall visit the sick members, or secure that they are visited by other legionaries.....

" The Secretary shall attend the meetings of the Curia....
Great pains should be taken with the preparation of the minutes, which should be read in distinct tones. The minutes should be written in ink or typed, and in a book of good quality....He shall punctually furnish all information and all returns which may be required by the Curia."

" The Treasurer shall attend the meetings of the Curia...
He shall be responsible for the making and receiving of all payments by and to the praesidium, and for the keeping of full and properly written accounts thereof. He shall see that the secret bag collection is made at each meeting. He shall pay money only on the direction of the praesidium, and shall lodge funds in hand to the credit of the praesidium in such manner as the latter may direct. He shall bear in mind the recommendation as to accumulated funds which is contained in chapter 35 on Funds, and shall from time to time bring the matter before the praesidium.