Religious services started at an old Japanese language school which was left over from World War II.
By 1952, the old school had become so rundown and unsafe that the British Colonial authorities advised Fortier to build a new church.
Fortier found a plot of land in Jalan Sendudok which was part of the British Naval Base.
On 26 August 1987, the Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea was informed by the authorities that "the premises and the land are scheduled to be cleared by 31 December 1987 and you are hereby notified to move out by this date".
[1] The present site for the Church of Our Lady Star of the Sea was bought by the Archdiocese of Singapore on 6 March 1989.