Patrick John Hessian (20 May 1928 – 8 September 2007) was an American major general and Catholic priest who served as the 16th Chief of Chaplains of the United States Army from 1982 to 1986.

[1][4] For a decade, he served at St. James Parish in the West Seventh, St. Paul, first as vicar and then as administrator.

[2][7] In 1979, Hessian was promoted to brigadier general and was nominated by Ronald Reagan as the deputy chief of chaplains.

[4][2] On 7 January 1983, the Army announced that Pope John Paul II had made Hessian a monsignor, with the rank Prelate of Honour of His Holiness.

[7]: 218  Hessian inherited the struggle of a 1979 lawsuit from Joel Katcoff and Allen Wieder, law students at the time, claiming that the structure of chaplaincy was unconstitutional.

[7]: 129  After various rulings and appeals, Katcoff and Wieder sought to drop the suit; Hessian argued that the case should be brought to completion.

[7]: 129 On 18 June 1986, Norris L. Einertson was confirmed by the Senate to succeed Hessian as the 17th Chief of Chaplains.

A retirement dinner was held for Hessian on 25 June 1986, at Fort Myer, at which Army Chief of Staff General John A. Wickham Jr. gave a speech calling Hessian's ministry "characterized by a passionate concern for the needs of soldiers.

[1] He died on 8 September 2007, and following a funeral celebrated by Archbishop Flynn and 40 other priests, was buried with military honors in Sacred Heart Cemetery in Belle Plaine, Minnesota.